How I met the Justice League
by Author of the Insane
Summary: Kari Miller was an average girl until the day she lost everything. Left without a family, or the use of her legs, Kari feels isolated until a strange being from outer space crashes in her backyard. With any chance of a normal life gone, Kari finds herself with an unlikely batch of friends and protectors: The Justice League. (My own DC AU based on various media)
1. Destructive Fear

The Daily Planet

7:12pm

Lois Lane sat in her cubicle, squinting at her computer screen in frustration. For the past week, she had been trying to finish her latest article for the Superman column of the Daily Planet newspaper. The Man of Steel's reputation had taken a severe nose dive after he had been brainwashed by Darkseid. He had led an invasion of Darkseid's forces straight into Metropolis, and he nearly succeeded in destroying Earth.

Though Superman was eventually pardoned after it was proven he had been controlled, nearly 80% of the global population still feared the once beloved superhero. Lois knew first-hand how much Superman desperately wanted to atone for his mistakes, to regain the trust of the world. This is why Lois was doing the only thing she knew how to help him. She was writing an article, aptly titled "Why the World Needs Superman".

She was so lost in thought that she almost didn't hear her co-worker, Clark Kent, knocking on the wall of her cubicle. She jumped at the noise, turning sharply towards Clark.

"Why don't you head home, Lois." He told her. "You look like you could use some rest."

"Are you saying I look bad, Smallville?" she asked playfully.

"Umm, no." Clark quickly replied, adjusting his glasses nervously. "I just- I mean-"

"Relax, Clark." She told him. "I'll head out in a few. Just need to finish up this last paragraph."

Clark glanced at the title of the article, a small smile crossing his face as he read it.

"Alright." He replied. "Drive safe."

He walked off, allowing Lois to return her attention to her article. She flexed her fingers, popping her knuckles before resuming typing.

"The Darkseid invasion left the entire world shaken to its very core, but none more so than our once beloved superhero, Superman. He learned he was not as invulnerable as we all believed him to be, and that even he is capable of making mistakes. Rather than make him the villain most of us now see him as, this ability to make mistakes simply makes the Man of Steel all the more human."

She hit the final period with a small flourish before leaning back, happy to have finally finished the article. She quickly sent the draft to Perry to go over, then closed down her computer, thoroughly exhausted.

"I guess Clark was right." She mumbled as she grabbed her purse, heading for the elevator. "I could definitely use some rest."

She made it down to the Daily Planet parking garage. As she shuffled over to her car, she was surprised on how empty it was. She yawned, finally reaching her car and climbing inside.

"I'm going to sleep until next week." She said as she started her car.

"Is that so?" a deep, raspy voice asked from the back seat of the car.

Lois turned around, coming face to face with a tall figure in dark green clothing, a terrifying burlap mask on his face, long, ragged black hair, and a noose around his neck.

"Scarecrow-"

Lois prepared to scream, but was interrupted by a needle being jabbed into her neck. Her eyes closed and she sagged forward, slumping over her seat. Scarecrow slid out of the back seat, moving Lois and taking the wheel.

"You just rest now, my dear." Scarecrow told her, stroking her face. "There will be time for screams soon.

…..

Clark sat in his apartment, talking on the phone with Kara, his cousin. She was down in Gotham, supporting Barbara Gordon, AKA Batgirl, after she was shot by the Joker. The two of them were close friends, and considering all that had happened, Clark could understand Kara's desire to be there for her friend.

"How's Barbara doing?" he asked.

"She's doing better." Kara replied. "Her dad is having a rough time though. I guess after everything he went through with Joker after…. Well…. After, nobody can blame him."

"And what about Bruce?" Clark asked. "Have you seen him around Gotham?"

"Less Bruce, more Batman." Kara muttered. "Nightwing says he rarely if ever comes home, and when he is, he's in the cave, working on one gizmo or another. Robin's getting worried about him."

"Throwing himself into his work is how Bruce copes with pain." Clark explained. "He just needs time. He's human after all."

"Right." Kara agreed. "Anyway, I'll call you later. If you see them, tell Ma and Pa I said hi."

"Will do Kara, good night."

As he hung up the phone, Clark felt his ear twitch. His super-hearing was picking something up. Closing his eyes, he focused on the sound, trying to make out who, or what it was. It didn't take long, and soon, he heard the sound all too clearly.

"Superman…" a raspy voice called out in a taunting tone of voice. "Oh Superman…"

Turning towards the sound, Clark's eyes began to glow as he activated his super-vision. Like a zoom lens with an x-ray feature, he looked through the various buildings of downtown Metropolis, his gaze eventually settling on one of the many hotels under construction after the Darkseid invasion. Due to the late hour, it should have been empty, but Clark could sense two heat signatures coming from the building.

"Who is-?" he began

"Don't keep me waiting, Superman…" The voice called out. "Miss Lane here wouldn't like that."

Clark gasped, realizing who the second figure was, and the possible danger she was in.

"Lois."

Jumping from his bed, he went to his closet, pushing his clothes aside to reveal a hidden panel where he kept his Superman costume.

"Hang on, Lois." He said as he got dressed. "I'm coming."

…..

The hotel construction site was the perfect place for Scarecrow's plan. He set himself up in the large, industrial sized freezer, white condensed air clouding the area as he waited. Lois Lane was still asleep, though Scarecrow had bundled her up. After all, a dead hostage was useless.

There was a sound, almost like a missile flying through the air, coming towards the hotel. Under his mask, Scarecrow smiled. He was finally coming.

The door to the freezer was suddenly ripped from its hinges, tossed aside as Superman strode through the condensation.

"Well, well, well… The Man of Steel himself." Scarecrow hissed. "So glad of you to finally join us."

"Scarecrow…" Superman growled.

"Aww, you know who I am." Scarecrow said with an eerie, sarcastic smile. "I'm touched. Did Batman tell you about me?"

"He told me enough." Superman replied, scanning the room for some kind of trap.

"Don't bother, Superman." Scarecrow told him. "This entire fridge is lead lined. Your X-Ray vision is useless here."

Superman snarled, trying to figure out what Scarecrow had planned.

"You know, I have spent my entire life studying fear, and the effect it has on the human psyche." Scarecrow began to explain. "And do you know what most of the world fears?"

Superman crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving Scarecrow.

"Something tells me you're going to tell me, whether I want to know or not." Superman replied.

Scarecrow pointed a long, pointed claw-like glove at Superman.

"It's you." He rasped. "After seeing the wave of destruction you brought upon the world, over 90% of the population fears you. Though the years have allowed that number to drop significantly, over half of the world's population, especially those in positions of power, are terrified of what you are capable of."

Superman couldn't hold himself back anymore. He grabbed Scarecrow by the front of his costume, hoisting him into the air effortlessly.

"Enough talk!" he shouted. "What is your game, Scarecrow?"

Scarecrow just chuckled.

"I just want to see the entire world tremble at your power once more." He said with a maniacal undertone. "I want to watch as every man, woman, and child is cowering in fear at Metropolis' former poster boy!"

"That will never happen again!" Superman declared.

"Oh, it will, Superman." Scarecrow told him. "Just you wait."

Superman pulled his fist back, prepared to punch Scarecrow's lights out. However, just as he was about to, a loud boom echoed outside. The sound made Superman falter, dropping Scarecrow and allowing him to scramble away.

"No…"

Punching through to the roof of the building, he emerged to find the skies of Metropolis a deep, red color as a boom tube opened above him. From this portal, dozens of parademons came pouring out. At the sight of them, Superman gasped.

"Not again."

Thinking fast, Superman dove back into the freezer, grabbing Lois from where she laid. She didn't appear to be harmed, which Superman thanked God for, but she wasn't safe in Metropolis. He didn't have time to take her to the Fortress of Solitude, so he thought of the next best thing.

…..

The Kent family farm was as peaceful as ever, and probably the safest place Superman could think of. Not wanting to wake Ma and Pa Kent, Superman flew through his old bedroom window, laying Lois down on his bed. Brushing a lock of hair from her face, he gently kissed her head before flying out of the window once more.

As he left, Lois stirred slightly, mumbling under her breath.

"Superman… it's…. not…. Real…."

…..

Back in Metropolis, the city was not under attack like Superman believed. In fact, everything was perfectly fine. Most of the city was fast asleep, save for those who chose to burn the midnight oil in order to get work done. Among these night owls was a young woman named Kari Miller.

Kari was a student at the University of Metropolis, currently working on a degree in law, and at the moment, she was studying for a major exam she had the next day. In her dorm room, she sat at her desk, lit only by a sole lamp, surrounded by a literal mountain of books on law.

"Ugh…" she groaned, her head banging against the edge of her desk. "Why did I have to wait until the last minute to study…?"

She grabbed a can of energy drink sitting next to her, downing the last swig she had before tossing it at her already overflowing trashcan. As it hit the other cans, there was thunderous crash that shook the entire building. Kari sat up, looking over at the can she just threw as it rolled towards her foot.

"Okay…" she muttered, catching the can with her boot. "I know I didn't do that."

There was another explosion, this time accompanied by a bright red light that set the night sky alight. Kari scrambled to her feet, running to her window in time to witness twin beams of red light piercing through the darkness. Having lived in Metropolis all her life, Kari knew what those beams were almost immediately.

"Oh no, not again!"

The laser beams returned, this time making a bee-line for the University. Thinking fast, Kari threw the door to her dorm open, grabbing the fire alarm and yanking it. The alarm began to blare as students and staff alike came running into the halls.

"What's going on?" one of the other students on Kari's floor screamed.

"It's Superman!" Another shouted. "He's tearing apart the city!"

More lasers came in, spurring everyone into a frantic stampede. As students jumped out windows, freshly made holes, and just any other exit they could find, Kari followed along, her brain working a mile a minute, trying to process what was going on. Landing outside, she saw another blast of red light coming from downtown Metropolis. Realizing now where the destruction was originating, she felt a cold lump of fear settling in her stomach.

Both of her parents were lawyers, their law firm settled right in the center of the business district. Considering Kari's study habits had to come from somewhere, her parents were most likely still at the firm, doing some sort of paperwork or other business related tasks.

"They're in danger…" she muttered.

Thinking fast, Kari dove back into the dorm, grabbing her purse and car keys before making a bee-line for the parking lot.

"I've got to get them out of there!"

…..

The bat mobile zoomed into the bat cave, coming to a stop in its designated spot. The windows lifted up, allowing for Batman to jump from the driver's seat and onto the platform. There to meet him was Alfred Pennyworth, a platter of dinner in his hands.

"Good evening Master Bruce." He greeted.

Batman pulled his cowl down, revealing Bruce Wayne underneath.

"Alfred."

He walked past his butler, making a bee line for the bat computer. Alfred set the tray of food down next to the computer, taking a similar plate of food away.

"I received a call from Miss Gordon." He explained. "She is now out of the hospital and resting comfortably at home."

Bruce's finger's hovered over the keys for a second before resuming their typing.

"Good to know."

As Alfred prepared to walk out of the cave, a red alert began to go off, the multiple screens on the computer suddenly flashing over and over.

"What the devil?" Alfred questioned.

Bruce hit a single key on the keyboard, turning the alert off and bringing the live news on screen.

" _ **This is Snapper Carr! Coming to you live from-**_ "

There was a massive explosion that shook the screen, a cloud of dust erupting from behind Mr. Carr.

" _ **-from Metropolis Business District… Where Superman is tearing our fair city to pieces!**_ "

Bruce jumped out of his chair, leaning forward as the camera panned up, revealing Superman flying above the city, blasting everything in sight with his heat vision, or with his ice breath.

" _ **The**_ _ **army has been called in, but even their best efforts have yet to pull the Man of Steel from his latest rampage, which leads this reporter to wonder if Superman has gone permanently to the Dark Side!**_ "

"Damnit Clark…" Bruce swore. "Why are you-?"

That's when he noticed something in the corner of the screen. Pausing the footage, he zoomed in on that corner, enhancing the footage. As the picture came into view, his eyes narrowed in fury.

"Scarecrow…"

He yanked his cowl back on his face, turning towards the bat plane.

"I shall put your dinner in the fridge Master Bruce." Alfred told him.

Batman jumped into the plane, reaching into his belt to grab a small, glowing green ring. After Lex Luthor had attempted to use the ring to kill Superman, Batman had taken it for insurance. Superman knew about it, and trusted him with it, saying that should he ever become a threat to the world, he wanted Batman to stop him.

He looked at the ring, as if in contemplation, then slipped it back into his belt. He hoped he wouldn't have to use it, but he would if he needed to.

…..

General Wells stood on the top of the Daily Planet, looking up at Superman through a pair of binoculars. Behind him, several of his men were readying missile launchers.

"Sir, do you think these will even work on him?" One of his men asked.

"I don't know, Lieutenant." He replied. "But, at the very least, they'll by those innocent citizens some time to escape."

He lowered his binoculars, turning to his men.

"Ready!"

The men lifted their weapons.

"Aim!"

The missiles were locked onto Superman.

"FIRE!"

The missiles launched, heading straight for Superman. They struck him in the back, sending him careening into a nearby building. However, a few seconds later, he pulled himself free of the building, his eyes glowing red as he set his sights on the General.

"Oh no…" Wells swore.

Before Superman could let off a shot, a blur of silver came out, tackling Superman into a different building. As the Man of Steel pushed a mountain of rubble off of him, his attacker came down to try and reason with him.

"Superman." Captain Nathanial Adams of the United States Air Force, more commonly known as Captain Atom, called. "By order of the Armed Forces of the United States, I order you to stand down!"

Unfortunately for Captain Atom, Superman did not see him as who he really was. In Superman's eyes, he was looking up at one of Darkseid's Lieutenants, specifically, Steppenwolf. He also heard a warped version of Captain Atom's demand.

"I will never bow to your Master again!" Superman declared.

"Master?" Captain Atom questioned. "What-"

Superman charged forward at a blinding speed, pushing Captain Atom through three separate buildings. The Captain charged up his hands, summoning red solar radiation, and brought his fists down on Superman's back. The two went flying into the street below, creating a fair sized crater upon impact.

"I'll give you one last chance, Superman!" Captain Atom warned hovering over the superhero once more. "Surrender!"

Superman just grabbed Captain Atom's arm, crushing the metal of the containment suit with ease.

"Never!"

Superman then punched Captain Atom repeatedly in the stomach, the force of the blows denting the suit to the point that a breach was imminent. Seeing the potential danger continuing the fight would cause, Captain Atom pulled away, flying off as fast as he could. Superman watched him retreat, seeing only a cowardly enemy fleeing for a boom tube.

"That's right, Steppenwolf… flee back to your master."

All of sudden, a halo of green energy suddenly engulfed him, trapping him in what appeared to be a translucent safe. A small tendril of the same green energy led back to a green ring worn by Kyle Rayner, the Green Lantern of the sector.

"You know, maybe I was wrong when I told the Guardians of Oa that you were worthy of the lantern."

…..

Kari rushed down the street, swerving her car left and right to avoid pedestrians and rubble alike. She was almost to main street when a large chunk of a parking garage came crashing down into the road, effectively blocking the way. Kari slammed on her brakes, but she still hit the rubble hard enough for her air bags to deploy. She hit them hard, her nose crunching on impact as her car shuddered to a halt.

Kari groaned in pain as she batted the air bag down. Her nose throbbed as blood poured from it. Having broken her nose once or twice in her youth, Kari took hold of it and snapped it back into place.

"Gah!" she screamed, holding her face. "That hurt!"

That's when the ominous sound of stone cracking drew her attention. Through her broken windshield, she could see another section of the parking garage preparing to fall right onto her car.

"Uh-oh!"

Kari began to try and get out of her seatbelt, but the crash had her trapped. She yanked on it to no avail, trying to escape. Then, seconds before the rubble hit, a blur of red and yellow came over, tearing the seat belt to pieces before yanking her out of the car.

Kari stared at her now flattened car, then up at her savior, the famous Flash.

"You okay there?" he ask as he set her down on the ground.

"Uh… yeah. Thanks." She replied.

"You better get out of here." He told her before he prepared to run off. "Things are gonna get really bad really fast."

"Wait!" she called before he could speed away. "Can you help me? I need to get to the Miller and Miller Law firm! It's on 33rd and 2nd street!"

Flash seemed skeptical, and a bit confused as to why Kari wanted to go right into the middle of the war zone.

"Look, I don't think that's the best-"

Kari grabbed the front of his suit, looking him in the eye. He could see the desperation, and the fear in her eyes as she pleaded.

"Please!" she practically screamed. "My parents are there! I have to make sure they're okay!"

Flash hesitated, but knew that she wouldn't take no for an answer, and would probably go off on her own if he did. Considering her odds of survival were better with his help, he let out a sigh and scooped her up.

"Alright." He relented. "Just hold on tight."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, crying as she whispered under her breath.

"Thank you…"

He sped off, Kari's form in his arms.

…..

Kyle kept the manifestation of the safe around Superman as he pulled the crazed superhero towards him.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, but you need to stand down!" Kyle ordered.

Superman just glared at Kyle, only seeing Kanto using an Apokolips energy gauntlet to trap him. Superman then pulled back his fist, punching through the energy as if it was nothing. Kyle let out a yelp, then formed an anvil, using it to punch Superman across the street.

"You can't win, Superman!" Kyle shouted. "Just stop this now!"

Superman just blasted the anvil manifestation with his heat vision, causing Kyle to falter.

"Alright…"

He formed a large bat as Superman came flying towards him.

"Batter up!" he screamed as he swung.

The bat connected, sending Superman flying into the large globe on the roof of the Daily Planet. Coming around, Superman grabbed the globe, pulling it off the roof and heaving it at Kyle. Thinking fast, Kyle summoned a jack hammer, successfully destroying the globe before it struck him. However, Superman came blasting towards him, using the rubble of the globe as a smoke screen. He punched Kyle in the face, then grabbed his ring hand, crushing it in his grasp and breaking every bone in the hand. Kyle let out a scream, the green energy fading as Superman dropped him.

"Good riddance."

" _Hctac_!" a female voice called out.

Underneath Kyle, a large, fluffy pillow suddenly appeared, catching the unconscious Green Lantern. Superman turned to face his next opponent.

"I don't know why you're doing this, Superman, but this ends now!" Zatanna Zatara, the magician, called out. " _Niartser_!"

Ethereal chains suddenly appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around Superman in a snake-like vise. As he struggled in the grip of the magical chains, in his mind, he saw Granny Goodness using her energy whip to restrain him. The sight of the woman who brainwashed him sent the Man of Steel into an absolute fury.

"You won't control me THIS time, witch!"

…..

Batman flew as fast as his plan would allow, trying to get to Metropolis as soon as he could.

"Alfred. Give me an update on the situation in Metropolis." He ordered.

"So far, the army has failed to keep his attacks at bay." Alfred explained. "Captain Atom and Mr. Rayner have attempted to subdue him, but both have failed. However, according to the Military radio, Superman did not seem to recognize them at all."

"What did Scarecrow do to him?" Batman muttered.

"There's more, sir." He told him. "Apparently, Superman told Captain Atom that he would not follow his 'Master' again."

"Master?" Batman repeated. "What could that mean?"

That's when an incoming call came up on the bat plane's onboard phone system. Checking the caller I.D, he was surprised to see it was the Kent Family Farm's home phone number.

"Hello?" he asked, answering the phone.

"Batman?" Lois Lane's voice asked. "Is that you? Please tell me it's you!"

"It's me, Lois." He replied. "What is it?"

"It's Scarecrow!" she explained. "He tricked Superman. He's not in his right mind!"

"I know." Batman told her. "I'm on my way to Metropolis now."

"Please hurry!" she begged. "Scarecrow taunted me, saying he was going to make Darkseid's invasion look like a child's nightmare. Oh God… Superman…"

Lois' explanation suddenly answered the question Batman had been trying to figure out.

"That's what he's seeing." He realized. "He's seeing Darkseid's invasion again!"

"That would explain his remarks to Captain Atom." Alfred commented. "The 'Master' that he mentioned must be Darkseid himself."

"And no doubt he's seeing the other heroes as Darkseid's subordinates." Batman added.

"Then I hope that no female hero tries to stop him." Lois prayed.

"Why is that?" Batman asked.

"Because a horrible old woman called Granny Goodness is the one that brainwashed him into attacking us all those years ago." She explained.

There was a small gulp on Alfred's end of the line.

"Oh dear…" he muttered. "Sir, we may have a problem."

"What now?" Batman demanded.

"Miss Zatanna has appeared and is trying to restrain him."

Batman slammed the thrusters into overdrive, determined to get there before anything bad happened to the magician.

…..

Superman struggled against the magical chains, rubbing wounds into his arms due to their magical nature. Still, he pulled and struggled until they all snapped with a mighty crash. Zatanna gasped, then threw her hands forward.

" _Niartser! Dnib! Niatnoc!_ "

More chains, accompanied by ropes and an ethereal straight jacket all appeared, trapping Superman in a cocoon of bindings.

" _Hgiew Namrepus Nwod_!"

A large weigh was suddenly attached to Superman's bound feet, sending him crashing into the ground with a loud explosion. Zatanna panted, then tentatively looked down at the new crater in time to see Superman pull himself free of the bindings.

"Oh no. _Po-_ "

Before she could utter another spell, Superman grabbed her by the next, effectively choking her and cutting off her spells. She gasps for air while struggling to free herself from Superman's grasp.

"This. Ends. Now!" Superman shouted.

That's when a small, black projectile came whizzing through the air, striking Superman on the bad. It exploded on impact, causing him to drop Zatanna and turn to face his latest attacker.

"I agree." Batman called out.

Superman flew right up towards him, stopping mere inches from his face.

"You…" he snarled.

"I know you're not seeing me as I am. Believe me, I know what Scarecrow's gases can do to someone, but you need to snap out of it."

"I'm not listening to a word you say, Darkseid!"

Batman's eyes widened.

"What?"

The punch came out of nowhere, sending Batman careening off the roof he had been standing on. Only the timely release of his cape allowed him to glide safely to the next one. Still, the punch had easily shattered a few ribs and he could already taste blood. Realizing that with Superman seeing him as Darkseid, the only way he would win is with the kryptonite ring.

As he reached for it, he saw Superman attempting to charge. He dove to the side, his ribs screaming in protest, and pulled the ring from his belt. He slipped it onto his finger just as Superman landed in front of him. Almost immediately, the radiation from the glowing green rock began to take effect.

"You let me keep this ring for moments like this." Batman told him as he punched Superman across the face. "You wanted someone to have the power to stop you if you ever became a threat to this world."

Superman tried to tackle Batman, but the dark knight merely stepped aside, punching the man of steel in the neck.

"Snap out of it, Clark!" Batman demanded. "Before I am forced to do something we'll both regret!"

Another punch sent Superman falling off the building, where he landed with a large crash. Batman used his grapnel to lower himself to the ground where he could examine Superman. However, he only got about halfway down before a beam of red light came from the crash site, locking onto Batman's ring. The heat melted the kryptonite into useless green goo, and severely burned Batman's hand.

Yelping in pain, Batman lost his grip on his grapnel and began plummeting to the ground. However, Superman intercepted him, catching him by the throat.

"I owe you big time, Darkseid." Superman snarled.

…..

Flash made it to 33rd and 2nd street, just as Kari had directed him. Unfortunately, almost the entire block had been reduced to rubble. When Flash came to a stop by a fallen sign reading 'Miller & Miller Law Firm', both he and Kari were horrified to see the building completely gone.

"Oh no…" Flash winced, gently putting Kari down. "I'm so sorry."

Kari just ran over to the rubble, her brain unable to process what was going on. She grabbed rock after rock, digging desperately in hopes of finding any evidence that her parents had not been inside when the building had come down. The entire time, tears filled her eyes, making it harder and harder to see. Flash came over, at first to tell her it wasn't safe to stay, but instead, he began shifting rubble as well.

After a few minutes, though to Kari it felt like hours, their efforts uncovered two figures lying in the dirt, holding each other closely. Upon seeing them, Kari screamed.

"Mom! Dad!"

She fell to the ground beside them, grabbing them to try and wake them up. However, the second she touched them, she stopped. The two of them were cold and unmoving. Kari didn't need to be a doctor to know that no amount of shaking would wake them up.

"No…." she sobbed. "No…"

She just fell to the ground crying after that, Flash coming over and holding her. For a minute, they just sat there, Kari crying into his shoulder as he held her. Then something came flying towards their location. Kari opened her eyes, saw it coming, and screamed.

"Move!"

In a second, Flash had moved himself and Kari to the left by about five feet, just as the projectile landed where they had been sitting. Flash shielded Kari from the spray of stones, then they both looked to see what had nearly crushed them. Both of them were shocked to see that the projectile was not a what, but a who.

"Batman!" The two of them shouted at the same time.

Flash got to his side first, of course, with Kari following close behind. The dark knight was in horrible shape, bruises covering most of his face and his costume in shreds. He seemed to be barely holding onto consciousness as he struggled to get to his feet.

"Bats, don't tell me Supes did this to you." Flash asked.

"He's…. not…. In control…."

"What do you mean?" Kari questioned.

"Sc-… scare… crow…" Batman stuttered.

"Scarecrow?" Flash asked. "You mean that quack doctor with the fear juice?"

Even Kari recognized that name, having seen the reports about him on the news from his previous exploits. Now Superman's actions made some sort of sense. Batman slowly got to his feet, despite the great amount of pain he was likely in.

"Flash, get….. Her out…." He began

That's when Superman came flying out of the sky, landing hard in front of the group. On instinct, Kari hid behind a larger piece of rubble for safety as Flash got between Superman and Batman.

"Look Superman, I don't know what that sack of straw has you seeing, but you need to snap-"

Before flash could get another word in, Superman batted him aside, sending him flying across the city. Kari gasped as Superman looked down at Batman in disgust.

"Hiding behind a weasel like Desaad… How pathetic, Darkseid."

"Darkseid…" Kari whispered. "He doesn't know what he's doing."

Batman struggled to remain on his feet, determined to face Superman once more. The Man of Steel then began to power up his heat vision. Realizing that Batman stood no chance of surviving the hit, Kari did the only thing she could think of.

She ran in between Batman and Superman.

"No!" she screamed.

The blast struck Kari in the stomach, almost tearing right through her. She screamed in agony as she fell, much to Superman's shock and Batman's horror. As she fell, Superman reached out and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Wh-why did you do that?" he asked, completely confused.

Kari was in too much pain to talk, but she pointed weakly towards Batman. Superman looked up, and for the first time, saw what was really going on. He saw Batman, leaning heavily on the rubble, just staring at Kari's injured form.

"Not…." Kari gasped. "Darkseid…"

She then slumped in Superman's grasp, unconsciousness claiming her. For a moment, both Superman and Batman just stood there, their thoughts in turmoil. For Batman, he was reliving Barbara's paralyzation at the hands of Joker, and the feeling of helplessness he had felt upon learning exactly what had happened.

For Superman, it was much worse. He had been used once again, turned into a weapon against his friends and his home. More than that, who knew how many innocent people had lost their lives in the carnage he had caused. The girl in his arms only cemented the already crushing guilt he felt.

Flash whizzed back up the street, his suit a bit torn from what was probably a horrible landing, approaching the two dumbstruck superheroes.

"Okay Supes, bat me like that again and I'll-"

When he finally realized what was going on, his witty retort died on his tongue.

"No."

He rushed forward, grabbing Kari from Superman and checking for a pulse. He let out a sigh of relief when he got one, even if it was weak.

"She's still alive, but she needs a hospital." He said. "What happened?"

Flash's query seemed to pull the Batman from his stupor.

"She took a hit for me…." He explained. "And she managed to provide the… necessary stimulus needed to pull Superman out from Scarecrow's control…"

Flash glanced over at Superman, whose fists clenched tightly at the mention of Scarecrow's name.

"So this is what he meant…" he muttered.

"Look, you can tell me what you mean by that later. Right now, I need to find a hospital that can help her!"

Flash vanished as Superman stood up, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of Scarecrow. He eventually found him perched on a broken train line that ran a few feet above the ground. Batman, realizing what Superman was thinking, made a grab at the Man of Steel.

"Superman, don't!"

Superman didn't listen. Instead, he blasted towards Scarecrow, murder in his eyes. The villain watched Superman come, but didn't run, or try to escape. Instead, he just stood there as Superman grabbed him by the neck, choking him.

"Give me a reason…" Superman snapped. "Give me a reason I shouldn't end you right here and now!"

Batman's grapnel attached to the track, allowing him to come up to Superman's level.

"Let him go, Superman!" Batman ordered

"Why should I?!" Superman demanded. "I am sick and tired of being used, of being a puppet for some sick, twisted fiend!"

"And if you kill him, that's all you'll ever be!" Batman shouted.

Superman hesitated as Batman's words rang with truth. He looked at Scarecrow in disgust, then dropped him back onto the track. Scarecrow coughed and hacked, struggling to regain the breath he had lost.

"Pathetic…" he spat. "And here I thought…" he broke into a fit of coughing. "…that you'd take that final step…"

Superman just landed on the track as the army and a mass of police officers closed in on their location.

"Never…"

…..

It had taken hours to convince the army and the police that scarecrow was responsible for Superman's rampage, and even after that, Superman had to physically show them the freezer Scarecrow had used in order to poison him. A quick look in the cooling unit revealed the remains of Scarecrow's fear toxin, proving Superman's innocence. Still, the two heroes knew that there were going to be repercussions from this incident for days to come.

As the army withdrew and disaster efforts were initiated, the Flash came running up to Batman and Superman, his gloves stained with a light pink fluid and a lot of darker red.

"Bats, Supes!" he called. "We get everything squared away?"

"Scarecrow won't be seeing the outside of a padded cell for a very long time." Batman replied.

"The girl." Superman interrupted. "Is she okay?"

Flash nodded.

"She'll live." He explained. "Though I had to run her to the other side of the state in order to find a hospital not swamped by relief efforts."

That's when Batman noted the pink fluid, something he recognized all too well.

"Flash, what is her condition?"

"The docs were able to save her from any internal bleeding, but according to the head surgeon, her spine was severed by the blast."

Superman had to lean against a wall as Batman looked down.

"Paralysis…" he muttered.

"Yeah…" Flash said with a nod. "She'll live, but she'll never walk again…"

Superman's head rested on his arm as he tried to come to terms with what he had heard. After a moment, he looked over at Flash, the sorrow evident in his face.

"What hospital is she in?" he asked.

"Our Lady of Mercy Hospital." Flash replied. "She's in ICU for observation."

Superman gave a nod of thanks, then took off in the direction of the hospital. Both Batman and Flash watched him go, then Flash turned to Batman.

"You should go after him." He said. "They probably won't let him near the hospital after what happened, even with Scarecrow's involvement revealed."

"He'll be fine." Batman replied. "Besides, I'm needed here."

With that, both Batman and Flash turned their attentions to the relief efforts.

…..

A rhythmic beeping pulled Kari from unconsciousness and back into the waking world. As she opened her eyes, she saw a canopy of white on all sides. Once her vision cleared, it became obvious that she was in a hospital room. Just beyond the closed glass door, she could see doctors and nurses running about, dealing with what seemed to be an onslaught of patients, probably from Metropolis.

As she stirred, she found that she couldn't move anything below her waistline. In painfully slow movements, Kari reached forward, resting a hand on the blanket covering her legs. She could feel the blanket with her hand, as well as the shape of her leg, but it was like she was touching someone else's leg. She couldn't feel a thing. Removing her hand, she lifted the blanket to reveal several large bandages wrapped around her lower abdomen.

All of her memories came back like a tidal wave. Superman's attack, her parent's death, Batman beaten to within an inch of his life, and jumping in between him and Superman to save him.

As she remembered, the rhythmic beeping became more frantic as tears flowed down her eyes. One of the nurses at the station noticed the spike and gestured for a doctor. The door opened and he entered, running to her side and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Miss, miss, calm down."

Kari did her best to do so, taking deep breaths, but the onslaught of memories and the lack of feeling in her legs made it nearly impossible. Still, she managed after a minute as the doctor laid her back down.

"Miss, what's your name?" the doctor asked.

"K-Kari." She replied. "Kari Miller."

"Miss Miller, my name is Doctor Cooper." He explained. "You're in Our Lady of Mercy Hospital. The Flash brought you here after you were badly wounded in the attack."

"I-I remember…" Kari whispered. "Superman… he was…. And I… is Batman okay?"

Dr. Cooper nodded.

"According to the news reports, he's helping with the relief effort."

Kari let out a sigh of relief. She had saved him. She'd managed to do something to help.

"And… Superman?" she asked.

Dr. Cooper fiddled with the collar of his shirt nervously.

"He's… He's actually waiting outside…" he explained. "He wanted to see you… if you'll let him."

For a brief moment, Kari wanted to say no. However, then she remembered the look of horror on his face when she'd been hit. The genuine regret he held after she got hurt. More than that, even though his power had been used to destroy Metropolis and kill her parents, he had been manipulated into believing he was fighting an enemy.

"I'll let him." She finally decided.

Dr. Cooper seemed surprised, but gave a nod and left the room. After a minute, the door slowly opened as Superman walked in. Kari looked over at him, watching as he sat down beside her bed. He didn't meet her eye at first, and his hand almost reached for her, but he stopped himself, placing it in his lap.

"The… the doctor said your name is Kari." He said after a moment, as if unsure of what to say.

"Kari Miller…" Kari replied.

There was a moment of silence before Superman spoke again.

"Kari I… I know that no amount of apologies can ever return what you've lost because of me… but I-"

"Superman." Kari interrupted. "You don't need to apologies for what happened to me."

Superman looked up in surprise as Kari reached out for him. Her hand met his as she gently squeezed it.

"You were under Scarecrow's control." She told him. "You didn't know what you were doing. It's his fault, not yours."

Superman placed a hand over hers, genuinely grateful for her words.

"You have no idea how much that means to me."

Despite all the pain Kari was in, despite the madness going on outside of that hospital room, in that single moment, everything was peaceful and quiet.

…..

Batman returned to the bat cave, where he was greeted by Alfred. When the butler saw the state bats was in, he ran to the side of the bat mobile, gently pulling him from the seat.

"Sir, are you alright?" Alfred asked as he led Batman over to the cave's medical bay.

"I'm fine, Alfred." Batman told him, removing his cowl. "Considering what almost happened…"

Alfred did not like the implications of that sentence.

"What do you mean by what 'almost happened'?" he asked, grabbing a bottle of disinfectant and a rag.

"He thought I was Darkseid." Bruce explained as Alfred began cleaning his wounds. "He was about to kill me when…"

He trailed off as the memory flashed through his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to force the memory back.

"This girl… this young woman… took a blow for me."

Alfred raised an eyebrow.

"A young woman took a hit from Superman?" he asked.

"Not just any hit, Alfred. Had she not jumped in between me and Clark… Who knows how much more damage he may have caused… She did more than just save me… she saved countless lives."

Alfred finished cleaning Bruce's wounds and began to wrap them up. While dealing with a nasty burn on Bruce's left arm, Alfred noticed a saddened look in his eye, one he had seen only three times before; when Barbara Gordon had been shot, when Jason Todd had been murdered, and when Bruce was just a little boy.

"This girl… did she live?" he asked.

"Yes." Bruce replied. "But, she'll never walk again… and she doesn't have any family anymore… she's alone."

Alfred finished tying off the bandage, then looked Bruce in the eye.

"Well then, perhaps she could use some help." He suggested, "And I think Bruce Wayne can provide her all the help she'll need."

A small smile graced Bruce's face as he stood up.

"You're right Alfred." He agreed. "He can."

Alfred just smiled.

…..

Several days past as Kari began her first trek across the hospital in a wheel chair. Having never really developed any major strength in her arms, it was slow going. Still, she was determined to do it on her own, waving off well-meaning doctors who offered to push her.

As she paused to flex her cramping fingers, a suited man walked up to her.

"Miss Kari Miller?" the man asked.

Kari looked up, preparing to tell whomever it was that she didn't need any help. However, the words died on her tongue as she came face to face with Bruce Wayne.

"Y-You're Bruce Wayne…" she whispered.

Bruce chuckled.

"That's what my butler keeps telling me."

Kari snorted, covering her mouth as she chuckled. As she settled down, she cleared her throat and sat up in her chair.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Actually, I'm here to help you." He told her.

He stepped aside, revealing a sleek, black and blue wheelchair. It had a padded seat, arm rests, and a thick pair of wheels with the words Wayne Tech emblazoned on them. Kari's eyes widened at the sight.

"Is that-?"

"You've become quite a popular story on the news." Bruce explained. "And when I heard about your brave acts, and what they cost you, I figured this was the least I could do to thank you for your actions."

Kari turned her chair, wheeling over to the new one. Very slowly, she tried to lift herself over to the new one. Unfortunately, she lost her grip and nearly fell. Thankfully, Bruce caught her and helped her get settled. As she tested the new wheels, she couldn't help but smiling.

"Thank you." She told him.

"Don't thank me just yet." He told her. "I have something else for you."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, his face going solemn for a moment.

"I also heard about what happened to your parents." He said softly. "Speaking from experience, I know what a devastating blow that can be."

Kari looked down as Bruce squeezed her shoulder.

"I know they were paying for you to go to college, and on their behalf, I'm going to pay all of your college expenses."

Kari gasped.

"You are?"

"Yes. You can focus on your recovery, and your future while the Wayne Foundation takes care of your hospital bill and your schooling."

Tears came to Kari's eyes as she leaned forward as best she could, grabbing Bruce around the waist and hugging him. He was surprised at first, but slowly returned the hug, a smile of his own.

"Thank you." She whispered. "I can't say it enough. Thank you."

"No, thank you." He whispered back, a knowing smile on his face.


	2. Secret Origins

It had been almost three years since Scarecrow's attack on Metropolis, and in that time, Kari's life had settled down considerably. She'd successfully graduated with honors from the University of Metropolis, passed her Docket Exam, and had managed to get a job as a defense attorney for the Metropolis Court system. Donations from the Thomas Wayne Foundation had allowed her to remain in her family's home on the edge of the city, and with the press finally leaving her alone, Kari could honestly say her life was good.

Since getting out of the hospital, Kari had joined a wheelchair basketball league, and rather enjoyed the sport. She'd also found her appetite for learning had grown, and her once meager library had grown to match it. Along with reading and basketball, Kari had taken up other hobbies as well, including art and cooking. Every night, she tried to experiment with a new recipe, seeing what she could concoct.

On one such night, Kari got home a little late, her van full of the ingredients for her latest recipe. As she rolled into her house, grocery bags in her lap, she turned on the TV, which was playing a news story about the newly elected Senator Carter.

" _ **This is Snapper Carr with the latest news of the newly elected Senator J. Allen Carter, who shocked the world with his inaugural speech.**_ "

Kari began the preparations for her meal, throwing some pots on the stove as the broadcast continued.

" _ **As a former astronaut, and one of the men to have walked the surface of Mars, I was able to witness the world from a unique perspective. I was able to see just how small, and how fragile our planet truly is. I know now that if we continue on the path we walk, our planet will soon be doomed. Which is why, effective immediately, I am launching a campaign to end the creation of nuclear weapons, and beginning an initiative to dismantle the ones we still have all over the world.**_ "

Kari let out a whistle at that.

"Good luck getting that initiative through congress."

That's when the lights began to flicker. The pot she was looking over began to shake and she could feel vibrations pulsing through the house. For a moment, Kari thought it was an earthquake, then she saw something through her window. In the sky, she spotted a strange streak of green light heading for the woods not far from her backyard. The light disappeared into the trees where a thunderous crash was heard. With that, the vibrations stopped, the lights returned to normal, and it was as if nothing had happened.

"What was that?" Kari questioned.

Turning her stove off, Kari grabbed a flashlight and wheeled herself out her back door towards the crash.

…..

She made her way deeper into the forest, thankful that her wheels were made for difficult terrain, before she finally spotted a trail. A deep trench had been dug into the ground, smashing through rocks and trees alike in its path of destruction. Following the trench, Kari eventually came across a sleek black ship dug deep into the ground. Greenish smoke seemed to be coming from the engines, and from what Kari could only guess was the cockpit.

"Yikes." She muttered, "I doubt anything could have survived-"

The window to the cockpit was suddenly thrown open, allowing a large plume of green smoke to escape. Kari wheeled herself backwards in shock as a slender green creature pulled itself from the wreckage. It was incredibly tall, with light green skin and a pointed head. Its eyes were solid orange, and they reminded Kari of pure amber as it met her gaze.

The creature tried to speak, but Kari didn't recognize anything it said. However, when it fell to its knees, it was obvious it was in pain. Kari rolled over to it, still a bit weary, but her instincts telling her the thing could be trusted.

"Are… are you okay?" She asked tentatively, leaning down towards the creature.

The creature looked up at her, then grabbed her head, pulling her toward it. Their foreheads met and Kari felt… something… probing at her mind. This invasion only lasted a few seconds before the thing released her, allowing her to sit back in shock.

"What the hell was that?" She swore, holding her head in reflex.

" _My apologies._ " The creature suddenly said in plain English, though his voice seemed to echo through Kari's mind. " _It was the only way for you to understand me._ "

Kari blinked, looking down at the creature, which she was beginning to suspect was a 'he'.

"You… you speak English?" she asked.

" _I do now…_ " he replied before sinking to the ground.

Kari approached him again, tentatively reaching for him. She stopped for a brief moment, then slowly took his arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked, helping him to his feet.

" _Yes, but… perhaps my landing…. Did more damage than I initially believed._ " He winced. " _It will take some time for me to properly heal._ "

Kari thought for a minute, then came to a decision.

"I… I have a first aid kit back home." She told him. "If you want… I can… take you there. You know… To get patched up."

Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, "It's not far."

He seemed to smile at her as he struggled to his feet.

" _Your kindness is much appreciated._ " He replied.

He stumbled a bit, forcing Kari to catch him. She guided his arms to the handles attached to her chair, where he could easily steady himself and she could steer herself.

"Here, just lean on my chair for support." She told him.

He did so as Kari began leading him out of the woods.

"I'm Kari by the way." She told him after they made it a few steps. "Kari Miller."

" _I am J'honn J'onzz._ " He replied.

Kari smiled.

"Almost sounds like John Jones."

J'honn chuckled a bit at Kari's joke as the left the woods.

…..

Kari put J'honn on her couch as she began rummaging through various cabinets in search of her first-aid kit. While she searched, J'honn looked around the living room, eying the various photographs strewn about the walls and on the fireplace mantle. He saw many pictures of Kari smiling, surrounded by two adults. He picked one up, recognizing the photo for what it was.

" _These are your parents, correct?_ "

Kari poked her head into the living room to see the photo he had.

"Yeah." she replied with a smile. "That's my mom and dad."

" _Are they here?_ " he asked. " _I do not wish for my presence to upset them_ "

Kari's smile fell a bit.

"They… passed away about three years ago." She told him before returning to her search.

" _Oh…_ " J'honn said as he set the photo aside. " _I apologize. I did not know._ "

"It's alright." She replied. "It still hurts, but they wouldn't want me to wallow in misery."

Finally finding the kit, she made her way back to J'honn. She began cleaning a cut on his arm as J'honn noticed something else.

" _In these photographs with your parents, you are not in that chair._ " He commented.

"Yeah…" Kari replied, setting the cleaning agent aside and grabbing some gauze. "Lost my legs the same day I lost my parents."

A green hand was placed over hers. She looked up to see J'honn's eyes full of empathy and understanding.

" _That must have been a trying day for you._ " J'honn told her.

"It was," She agreed, "but not just for me. Superman was probably got the worse of it."

" _Superman?_ " J'honn repeated.

Kari was initially confused, then promptly face-palmed herself.

"Oh right, you're new here." Kari realized.

She set the bandages aside and wheeled over to a small book case. There, she picked up a small picture frame and carried it back. Inside the frame was a photo, obviously a more recent one. It was of Superman holding Kari while carrying her in what looked like a parade.

"Superman is the local hero." Kari explained as she resumed her work. "He's from the planet Krypton, at least that's what he's told us. That photo was taken during a Christmas parade about a year ago."

" _I have heard of Krypton._ " J'honn told her. " _It was destroyed many years ago._ "

"Yep. Superman's the only living Kryptonian, and his alien physique allows him to be the strongest man on Earth."

" _Then it would seem this Superman and I share something in common._ "

Kari tied off the knot on the bandage she had been wrapping.

"Why do I get the feeling you're not talking about the physique thing?"

J'honn looked down as he spoke once more.

" _You are speaking to the last Martian._ " He explained.

Kari blinked again.

"Did you say Martian?" she asked.

" _Indeed._ "

"So… you're from Mars."

" _I am._ "

Kari mulled that over before nodding.

"Okay then."

J'honn looked at Kari in mild surprise.

" _You are taking this surprisingly well._ " He told her.

Kari just shrugged.

"You live in Metropolis long enough, you get use to all kinds of weirdness." She explained. "Martians are not that far-fetched."

J'honn smiled, more than a bit intrigued.

" _It would seem that you lead an adventurous life._ "

Kari snorted.

"Not really." She told him, a small look of annoyance crossing her face. "Everyone always tries to do things for me. They treat me like a victim… like this chair makes me incapable of doing things for myself."

J'honn tilted his head in confusion. Kari then realized how selfish she must have sounded and quickly blushed.

"Don't get me wrong," She added in a rushed, embarrassed tone, "I'm grateful for the life I have, and all the generosity everyone has shown me…

She slowed down a bit and looked down at herself. Her hand stroked the armrest of her wheelchair in sadness.

But… Sometimes I wish people would see past the wheelchair and see me."

J'honn understood what she meant and took her hand, meeting her gaze once more.

" _I see you._ "

Kari was genuinely happy to hear that, and was grateful for a friend who didn't treat her like a helpless little girl. However, that's when a question popped into her mind. She felt her blush returning as she thought about it.

"You know, I probably should have asked you this before bringing you to my home…" she realized. "But, why are you here? Why come to Earth?"

J'honn's smile faded as his voice took on a serious tone.

" _I have come to warn your world leaders of an incoming invasion._ " He explained.

"Invasion?" Kari asked nervously, remembering the last few times earth had been invaded. "But I thought you said you were the last Martian."

" _I am._ " J'honn explained, " _These invaders are an enemy that my people faced about 1000 of your years ago._ "

Before he could go into any more detail, the front door to Kari's house was kicked down with a mighty crash. J'honn jumped to his feet, putting himself between Kari and the intruders.

"I think you've said enough, Martian!"

An army of SWAT guys stormed into the house, surrounding J'honn and Kari.

"What the hell?!" Kari screamed. "If this is about the crash, I can promise you that-"

" _Save your breath._ " J'honn told her. " _These are the Invaders I mentioned._ "

That's when the SWAT guys literally melted, forming humanoid shaped white blobs with black and grey spots and a vertical line of three glowing red lights that seemed to serve as eyes. Kari's eyes widened at the sight.

"Okay… That… was gross."

The Invaders swarmed the house, screaming in both English and in their own alien language. J'honn fended off the attackers as best he could, punching and kicking any one of them that got too close. Unfortunately, he was still injured, and could not afford to use all of his power just yet.

Eventually, the Invaders all tried tackling him to the ground. It seemed to succeed at first, but he was able to change the density of his body to phase out of the pile. Once he got out, he promptly fell to the ground, the exertion costing him a great deal of stamina. That's when he looked over to see one of the Invaders holding Kari at gun point. It had her by the neck, lifting her clean out of er chair.

"Surrender Martian!" the Invader shouted. "Or this human dies!"

J'honn met Kari's eye, then slowly stood up straight. One of the Invaders came up behind him, bringing their gun down on J'honn's neck. The Martian fell to the ground, where they began beating him into unconsciousness.

"J'honn!" Kari screamed, trying to free herself from the grip of her captor. "Let me go you overgrown snot monster!"

The Invader holding her struck her on the back of the head before tossing her onto J'honn. The two looked at each other before darkness overtook them both.

…..

An Unknown Amount of Time Later

US Military Base in the Rocky Mountains

Batman flew his bat plane up to a large canyon carved into the side of the Rocky Mountains. In this canyon, a large military base had been erected years ago. However, as Batman looked around, he saw was he could only describe as a warzone. Tanks and other military vehicles alike had been warped into unusable shapes. Blasts in the stone walls and throughout the ground only added to this analogy.

Landing in front of the main part of the facility, Batman climbed out of the plane, surveying the area. He soon spotted a large hole in the wall, obviously the entry point of his quarry. Stepping through the hole, Batman was surprised by the amount of carnage he witnessed. Water pipes and various wires hung haphazardly from the ceiling, and several doors seemed to be hanging from their hinges.

Ignoring them for now, Batman made his way deeper and deeper into the facility, following the rhythmic sound of someone punching metal. Up ahead, he found whom he was looking for.

Superman was currently trying to punch a hole through one of the biggest, and probably thickest doors he had ever seen. Pulling a batarang from his belt, then threw it at the door, where it lodged itself inches from Superman's face.

"Hold it Superman!" Batman called.

Superman ceased his attacked, turning towards Batman, who stood ominously in another hole the Man of Steel had created.

"Destroying government property isn't your style." Batman remarked, emerging from the shadows. "What's going on?"

"See for yourself." Superman told him.

He then took hold of the severely damaged door, fingers sinking into the metal. With a mighty heave, he pulled it free of its hinges tossing it aside. Inside, the two heroes saw a large array of computers and monitors displaying readings and charts of some kind of creature. Superman didn't pay them any mind, continuing towards the other side of the room, where another metal door awaited. This one was easily dealt with, shoved aside by Superman like it was made of tin foil.

Entering this new room, Batman's eyes flew open at what he saw. A green alien creature was being suspended above the ground by a series of large, mechanical clamps. Two trapped his arms while two more sealed his legs. A final clamp rested on his head. As Superman approached him, Batman stood in awe.

"What is that?" Batman asked.

"Mankind's last hope." Superman replied.

Superman then grabbed a pair of large levers, pulling them down. The clamps released their captive, allowing him to fall to the ground. Luckily, Superman quickly intercepted him before he completely fell.

"He'd been trying to contact me telepathically, but that stasis field interfered." Superman explained. "When his message finally broke through, I came to rescue him."

The creature slowly got to its feet, looking up at his two saviors. Batman, however, remained skeptical.

"What is he doing here?" he asked.

" _The Invasion._ " The creature replied telepathically.

Batman stepped back in surprise, looking at the creature in increased suspicion.

" _I came to warn your people about the invasion, but I was captured and imprisoned here. I never got the chance._ "

"Big surprise." Batman replied in a sarcastic tone.

" _I sense you do not trust me._ " The creature commented. " _Perhaps this will help._ "

The creature then began to slowly morph, his alien features becoming something a bit more humanoid. A long blue cloak appeared on his shoulders, held there by a yellow chain. A red X crossed his chest as boots and a pair of shorts covered his lower body. By now, Batman was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed by this newcomer, backing away as the transformation was completed.

"I am J'honn J'onzz." He introduced, offering his hand to shake.

Batman just looked at the outstretched hand, then over at J'honn.

"Don't take it personally J'honn." Superman told him, "He doesn't trust anyone."

"A wise policy." J'honn agreed. "Now, there is another I must find."

"There's two of you?" Batman asked.

"Not exactly." J'honn replied.

…..

Walking through the facility, J'honn explained his arrival to earth.

"I landed in the forest outside the city you call Metropolis." He explained. "There, I was discovered by a young woman. She took me in, and when I was captured, she was taken as well."

"And you think she's here?" Superman asked.

"I know she is." J'honn replied.

They approached a large door that was being held up by a slimy tendril of something. J'honn grabbed the door, easily freeing it from the grip of the tendril. Inside, both Batman and Superman were horrified to see rows and rows of alien looking pods, each filled with a different person.

"This is insane…" Superman muttered.

"I saw something to this in Star Labs." Batman replied. "They're still alive in there, but they're in some sort of suspended animation."

"There she is." J'honn pointed.

Batman approached the pod J'honn had eluded to, producing a batarang and slicing through the skin. The girl slid out of the pod, right into J'honn's arms. He wrapped his cloak around her as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Ungh…" she groaned. "What… where am I?"

"Good to see you again, my friend." J'honn greeted.

"J'honn…?" she asked. "You look different."

"It is a long story-"

"Kari?" Batman suddenly questioned, recognizing her now.

"Batman?" Kari replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same question." Batman answered.

"Wait, did you say Kari?" Superman asked.

"Superman too?" Kari exclaimed. "Just what is going on here?"

"We were captured by the Invaders." J'honn explained as he stood up, keeping Kari safely bundled in his cloak. "They imprisoned us both here, though I do not know for exactly how long."

"However long it's been, you both can help us stop the invasion." Superman interjected.

"Right, just one final question." Kari responded.

Everyone looked at Kari as she clung to J'honn's cloak.

"Where are my clothes?"

…..

Outside the facility, the unlikely group emerged from Superman's makeshift exit. Kari was carried by J'honn, Batman's cape wrapped around her like a dress. It wasn't ideal, but it was all any of them had.

"We'll need to contact the joint chiefs right away." Superman explained. "They'll want to hear what you have to-"

A sudden onslaught of bright light suddenly blinded the group, halting their progress. Peering through the light, they found themselves surrounded by armed forces. Both J'honn and Kari were instantly on edge.

"Uh-oh." Kari whispered.

"Stop right there Superman!" The Army General ordered. "You're trespassing on a restricted area! Our orders are to keep that freak and his little friend here!"

"Umm, Superman?" Kari hissed.

Superman stepped between the army barricade and their would-be prisoners, completely ignoring Kari's attempts to garner his attention.

"Wait!" he insisted. "I will vouch for both of them! You have to let them go!"

"I don't think so…" The General snarled.

"Superman…" Kari hissed a bit more insistently.

"The world's security may be at stake!" Superman shouted.

"Superman, they're not the army!" Kari finally exclaimed.

Both Batman and Superman looked at Kari in confusion and shock. However, the general just chuckled.

"See, that's why those two will never leave here alive." He remarked.

With that, the General, and every single member of his forces melted into tall, white blobs, their weapons transforming into more alien looking blasters.

"What the-?" Superman began.

"It's the Invaders!" Kari exclaimed.

"They are the ones who captured us, not your government!" J'honn quickly explained.

The Invaders charged, firing their weapons at the group. J'honn, Kari, and Batman managed to take cover behind an overturned tank, but Superman was struck point blank in the chest. As Superman recovered, Batman drew an exploding batarang from his belt.

"Stay down!" he ordered.

J'honn covered Kari's head as Batman released the batarang. It exploded with a great enough force to send a good number of the Invaders. However, a few managed to remain standing and attempted to ambush the trio.

"Look out!" Kari screamed, pointing.

J'honn released Kari, phasing through Batman and setting up a mental shield. The blast struck the shield, and though it prevented the blast, J'honn was still affected. As the Martian fell to his knees, Batman released another batarang, striking the Invader hard and knocking him down.

"J'honn!" Kari screamed, dragging herself through the dirt towards him. "Are you okay?"

J'honn just groaned, not really responding. Batman grabbed his arm, pulling him to safety.

"Hang on!" Batman insisted.

Superman appeared, holding a large tank as a shield from the onslaught of weapon fire.

"Get them to safety." He told Batman. "I'll cover you."

Batman gave a single nod, then began pulling J'honn towards the Bat Plane. Kari army crawled along, keeping her head down to avoid being noticed. Once Batman had him in the passenger seat, he grabbed Kari, depositing her into J'honn's lap. As Batman powered up the plane, J'honn came to, his eyes glowing yellow.

"What are you doing?" Kari whispered, clinging to the Martian for dear life.

"Calling for help." He replied.

Superman continued to shield the bat plane with his tank, waiting for his allies to escape. Once he heard the distinct sounds of the plane's engines starting up, he hurtled the tank at the Invaders, causing the white blobs to scatter. The tank caused a massive explosion, one that provided the perfect cover for the group's hasty escape.

"That was close." Batman remarked.

"We are not safe yet." J'honn told him.

"Look!" Kari shrieked.

They all looked to see a wave of alien ships that looked almost exactly like the Invaders themselves coming towards them.

"This just keeps getting better." Batman commented irritably.

Batman banked left as Superman banked right, narrowly avoiding the alien firepower. J'honn pulled the seatbelt over both him and Kari, strapping them both in. This proved to be a wise idea as Batman quickly began a series of tricky maneuvers in an attempt to lose his pursuers.

Superman came to Batman's rescue, literally punching through one of the ships. Unfortunately, he was quickly blasted into one of the mountains. With Superman down for the count, Batman found himself outflanked. Though he managed to lose some ships in a rather tricky turn, the rest pulled through, and one was able to blast one of the wings off the bat plane.

With the loss of the wing, the bat plane began to spiral out of control. Batman wrestled with the controls, trying to steady the plane as J'honn clutched Kari close. Before they could crash though, a halo of green energy suddenly surrounded the plane, causing it to stop abruptly.

"What happened?" Batman asked.

Kari peeked out and a large smile grew on her face.

"Help has arrived."

Following the source of the green light, they all looked to see John Stewart, the Green Lantern, standing on a cliff while keeping the bat plane suspended. Two Invader ships came to try and blast him off the cliff side, but that's when a new hero showed up.

A woman in with large wings and a hawk-shaped helmet appeared, swooping down on the ships. In her hands was a large mace, one that sparked with electricity as she brought it down on one of the ships. Almost immediately, the ships began to smoke, losing altitude fast. Kari couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Hawkgirl." Kari gasped.

"What is she doing here?" Batman questioned.

Rather than answer, J'honn became intangible once more, flying out of bat plane as Green Lantern safely landed it. There, the two were joined in the sky by Superman and Hawkgirl.

"Sorry I'm late." Lantern apologized. "There was an uprising near Rigel-9."

Leaving no time for further conversation, the four heroes scattered, attacking the oncoming Invader ships with gusto. Superman tossed the ships into the mountains, Green Lantern blasted them to bits with his ring, Hawkgirl bashed them to pieces with her mace, and J'honn used his intangibility to get the ships to blast each other.

From the cliff Green Lantern had left them on, both Batman and Kari watched the fighting. Kari still sat in the bat plane, her face resembled a kid at Christmas as she enjoyed the battle. Meanwhile Batman was still trying to figure out where all these other heroes were coming from, and why they were here.

"Batman, look out!" Kari suddenly screamed.

A falling ship nearly crashed into Batman, but luckily, he was able to dive out of the way before it did. Now a bit more cautious, he continued to survey the fight.

Up in the sky, Hawkgirl was being pursued by one of the Invader ships. Though she was able to dodge and weave in order to avoid getting hit, one of the blasts send a shower of debris flying towards her. She fell onto a small cliff, narrowly avoiding falling unconscious. As she struggled to her feet, a woman clad in what looked like a red, gold, and blue one piece, landed in front of her.

"Allow me." The woman said.

The ships came around, determined to blast Hawkgirl and her new ally off the mountain. However, when the ship opened fire, the woman used a pair of silver bracelets on her wrists to rebound the lasers back at the ships. Green Lantern then appeared, forming a shield around the two before the now crashing ship could harm them.

"Who's the rookie in the tiara?" Green Lantern asked Superman.

"Not sure." Superman replied, tossing an Invader ship into the mountain.

Back down on the cliff, the woman helped Hawkgirl to her feet.

"Thank you." Hawkgirl told her.

With the last of the ships dealt with, all of the heroes flew towards the area where Green Lantern had left Batman and Kari. Below them, a red blur zoomed up the mountain, appearing before Batman, carrying the bat plane's missing wing.

"Hey bats!" Flash said as he came to a stop. "I think you dropped this!"

Batman took the wing as Kari pulled herself up so she could look down at Flash.

"Flash!" she called. "Up here!"

"Kari?" Flash asked, speeding up to her level. "What are you doing here?"

"Long story, don't know most of it myself." She replied.

Flash then noticed her 'dress' and chuckled.

"Heh. Nice dress. Didn't know bat capes were in fashion."

Kari blushed.

"That's part of that long story." She replied. "Can you go and find me some new clothes… and a wheelchair?"

"No problem." Flash replied with a salute.

That's when the other heroes landed, and Flash's eyes locked onto the mysterious woman. Both Batman and Kari could practically see the hearts in his eyes.

"Whoa," Flash said before leaning against the bat plane in what was supposed to be a seductive manner, "Where have you been all my life?"

"Themyscira." The woman replied, her tone giving no indication that she understood the nature of Flash's question.

While Flash tried to figure out what Themyscira was, Hawkgirl approached her savior in surprise.

"The home of the Amazons." She mused. "I always thought it was merely a legend."

"I assure you, it is as real as the ground on which we stand." The woman replied. "I am Diana, Princess of the Amazons."

"Pinch me, I must be dreaming." Flash muttered dreamily.

Superman elbowed him hard, eliciting a yelp of pain from the speedster.

"Don't you have something to do?" Superman asked, pointing towards Kari in the Bat plane.

"Right…" Flash said with a cough. "Be right back."

…..

By the time Flash returned with a new set of clothes for Kari, as well as a wheelchair from a nearby hospital, Superman had reattached the wing to the bat plane with his heat vision.

"One order of clothes with a side of wheelchair, as requested." Flash announced with a showman's air.

"Thanks Flash." Kari replied, taking the clothes. "Batman, which button closes the hatch?"

"Third from the left." Batman replied.

She hit the button, closing the hatch and allowing the heroes to talk in private.

"Thank you all for your help." Superman told them. "It was lucky you showed up when you did."

"No, not luck." J'honn interrupted. "I telepathically summoned them here."

"Yeah, about that." Flash interjected. "I'm usually quick on the uptake, but right now, the entire world is in chaos and I suddenly had a weird voice in my head telling me to come the Rockies. So, I think I speak for everyone when I say, can someone explain just what is going on?"

The hatch to the bat plane opened again and Kari, now fully dressed, peered over the edge. Superman grabbed her, placing her in the wheelchair. Batman quickly reclaimed his cape.

"Good question." She added. "You never did get the chance to explain this whole Invader thing."

"It is a long story." J'honn began, "We encountered the Invaders for the first time 1000 of your earth years ago, during the Golden Age of Martian peace and prosperity… At the time, our world was a place of great beauty and life… And then… They arrived. Where they came from, no one knew… But they were determined to make our planet their own."

Kari wheeled herself over to J'honn, taking his hand as he told his story.

"Though we Martians were a peaceful race, we quickly learned the ways of war. For centuries, the battles raged on, wiping out every trace of our once great civilization. We fought valiantly… but these invaders were parasites who fed off of our psychic energy. As we grew weaker… they grew stronger…"

Kari felt J'honn's grip on her hand tighten a bit.

"They even stole our shape changing abilities… Soon, there were only a handful of Martians left… and we planned one final assault. We charged into their underground stronghold and released a powerful nerve gas, one strong enough to paralyze them."

He paused for a moment, as if remembering what happened was physically painful for him. Still, he steeled himself and continued.

"We achieved victory… but at a terrible cost… I was the only survivor."

Superman felt a pang of sympathy for J'honn, and Kari leaned her head against the Martian's arm.

"I sealed up their citadel to keep them in a constant state of suspended animation, and for 500 years I stood guard over them."

"Then the astronauts came to Mars." Kari realized. "They must have awoken the Invaders."

"Correct." J'honn told her. "They came while I was in my hibernation cycle, reopened their stronghold and accidentally revived the invaders."

Flash stepped forward, holding up a hand.

"Now wait just a second." He insisted. "Those astronauts never said anything about finding life on Mars."

"That is because those astronauts did not return from Mars." J'honn explained. "The Invaders have been impersonating them, as well as other members of your government and planetary defenses."

"That would explain why the deep space monitoring network kept getting sabotaged over the past few months." Batman surmised. "It was so their activities would go unnoticed."

"We've got to stop them before it's too late!" Green Lantern declared.

"It may already be too late." J'honn informed him. "I can sense their walkers tearing your cities to pieces, and no doubt they have already begun the construction of the factories."

"Factories?" Hawkgirl repeated.

In the distance, a loud crack of thunder drew everyone's attention. Beyond the mountains, they could see a large, unnaturally dark cloud growing by the second, emitting streaks of red lightning from its smoky depths.

"Great Hera!" Diana exclaimed.

"What is that?" Kari asked.

"It has begun." J'honn lamented.

"The factories you mentioned?" Batman questioned.

J'honn nodded.

"The Invaders are nocturnal creatures, and they seek to blot out the sun so they can live in perpetual darkness."

"Like vampires." Kari muttered.

"Friends of yours, bats?" Flash quipped.

"It's no joke." Batman snapped.

Flash just sighed, then snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. He ran up to J'honn, tapping the Martian on the shoulder.

"Hey, that nerve gas you used on them before. Think you could make another batch?"

"Unfortunately no." J'honn replied. "The gas can only be made from a rare Martian plant. I brought a sample with me, but it was destroyed in the crash."

Flash winced, rubbing the back of his head.

"Please tell me there's a Plan B." he mumbled.

"Those factories have to go." Kari announced. "But how are we going to do it?"

Green Lantern looked down at Kari with a shake of his head.

"The seven of us will take care of those factories." He told her. "You are going to find somewhere safe to hide."

Kari's mouth dropped, feeling more than a bit put off by GL's condescending tone. She was about to protest before Superman put a hand on her shoulder.

"Green Lantern is right." Superman agreed. "Right now, it's too dangerous for you. Your best bet is to get to the nearest evacuation center and wait this out."

Kari let out a sigh, until J'honn spoke up.

"Unfortunately, that is not her best choice." He told them. "The Invaders know her now, and they will now associate her with me. They will hunt her as an opportunity to get to me, and with most of Earth's defenses compromised, it will we difficult to tell who is friend, and who is foe."

Kari perked up as J'honn smiled down at her.

"The safest place for her right now, is with me." He decided. "I can protect her."

"Like you did before." Batman quipped.

J'honn met his eye, neither of them flinching.

"I was injured, and I was unprepared. Now, I will see them coming."

Everyone was silent for a moment as Batman and J'honn continued their staring contest. Finally Batman turned away, facing Kari again.

"You stay. By his side. At all. Times." He told her, his tone leaving no room argument.

Kari nodded eagerly as J'honn took hold of the handles of her chair. The gesture itself abolished any form of argument from the others, though Superman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern still seemed a bit reluctant about her tagging along. Still, none of them was willing to argue with Batman, or with J'honn.

"Alright then." Green Lantern said, returning to the matter at hand. Tactically, we'll have multiple objectives. We'll need to split into teams."

Flash whizzed over to Diana in a second, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Dibs on the Amazon!" Flash called out.

…..

A few minutes later, Flash and Green Lantern were making their way across the Pacific Ocean toward Malaysia, where one of Invaders factories was located. More than a little miffed about not being allowed to work with Diana, Flash turned to his companion in annoyance.

"You are no fun!" he shouted.

"This isn't _supposed_ to be fun!" Green Lantern shouted back. "We've got a job to do, and that means no distractions!"

Flash groaned, but kept silent as they continued their journey.

…..

In the heart of the Malaysian jungle, a group of about three walkers patrolled around the alien factory. The walkers were tall, white things with three spindle-like legs and a red 'eye' that also served as their weapon. The factory itself almost resembled a human heart in shape, with valves shooting the sky with fire and strange, organic pumps polluting the air with those thick, red lightning clouds.

From a tall cliff, Flash and Green Lantern looked down at the scene, the latter quickly analyzing the situation.

"There's our target." He whispered to Flash. "Now here's the plan-"

Flash stood up, completely ignoring Green Lantern.

"What plan?" he asked, not even bothering to stay quiet. "We kick their butts, right? Let's get this over with!"

Before Green Lantern could stop him, Flash dashed down the cliff towards the factory and the walkers. Green lantern let out an exasperated sigh, then flew off after him.

Once Flash reached the bottom, he stopped and let out a whistle to get the attention of the walkers. They all turned to him, their large eyes focusing on him

"Hey!" he yelled, waving his arms above his head. "Over here."

One of the walkers fired at Flash, but in the blink of an eye, Flash moved out of the way.

"Hah! Missed me." he taunted.

The walker fired at Flash again, but Flash just ran forward avoiding it. The walkers try firing at Flash several times, but each shot missed him by a hair. Unfortunately, he was so focused on avoiding getting hit that he wasn't watching where he was running. His foot his a pocket of some sort of runoff from the factory, which exploded on impact. The blast launched him into the air and caused him to land in a large mess of the sticky, unyielding runoff. Flash tried to pull himself free, but the stuff had a death grip on him.

Surveying from above, Green Lantern shook his head in dismay.

"Fool." he commented.

As Flash continued to pull himself free, one of the walkers closed in on him. Flash cringed, bracing for the blow, but before it could land, a lance of green energy severed one of the legs of the walker. Now unstable, the alien menace shuddered and wobbled before toppling over with a mighty crash.

"See, this is why you have a plan." Green Lantern chastised, beginning the long process of pulling Flash from the gunk, "I hope the others are having better luck than we are."

…..

Meanwhile in Cairo, another one of the factories had been erected by the Sphinx. Using the large monument as cover, Batman, Diana, and Kari surveyed the scene carefully. Kari used a pair of binoculars provided by Batman to try and see if she could find any weak points in the structure. So far, she wasn't having much luck.

"Hiding like cowards is not the Amazon way." Diana complained, looking out at the walkers with disdain.

"They must have a weakness." Batman commented.

"He's right." Kari agreed. "And once we find it, then we'll strike."

Diana crossed her arms irritably, but her annoyance subsided as J'honn fazed through the ground, appearing before the group. Kari dropped the binoculars and turned to the Martian.

"Anything?" she asked.

"I have scouted the outer walls." J'honn reported. "There are no openings."

"Then we'll make our own!" Diana declared, before flying off.

"Diana, wait!" Kari called, trying to stop her.

J'honn was about to follow before Batman stopped him.

"Wait." Batman told him, eyeing Diana curiously. "Let's see what she can do."

And that's just what they did. They watched as Diana took out her lasso as she flew towards one of the walkers. She easily flew away from its blast, making a beeline towards its legs. With a well-trained toss, she lassoed one of its legs and began flying around it. Once she'd made about two circuits around the beast, she grasped the lasso tightly.

"Hera, give me strength!"

With a mighty pull on the lasso, Diana pulled the walker's legs together, effectively getting it off balance. It fell hard, crashing into one of the factories walls with enough force to reduce the wall to rubble. Once the smoke cleared, the two heroes and Kari looked to see the Amazon princess standing triumphantly over her fallen enemy.

"There's your opening." She simply states pointing inside.

With that, she flew inside as Kari, J'honn, and Batman gazed in amazement.

"Not bad." Batman commented.

"Yeah," Kari concurred. "She's a real wonder woman."

J'honn then picked up Kari, discarding her wheelchair for better mobility, and flew towards the opening. Batman followed suit with his grapnel. Once they were inside, they were almost immediately assaulted by a group of Invaders. Diana used her bracelets to deflect the shots as J'honn shielded Kari. Seeing their attacks were not doing anything, the invaders fled deeper into the factory, skirting around the shafts of light flowing in from the impromptu entrance. Kari noted that as Diana prepared to chase.

"They run like cowards!" she jeered. "What are you waiting for?"

She and J'honn, still carrying Kari, took off into the factory. Batman looked back at the sun, wondering why the Invaders would avoid it. Knowing time was of the essence, he turned back towards the direction his allies had taken and followed them.

…..

Back in Metropolis, Hawkgirl was going ballistic on a walker, smashing it to bits with her mace. As she did that, Superman chopped off one of its legs, and threw it into one of the walls of the factory. Like a guided missile, the leg tore a hole in the wall, creating the perfect entrance for the two heroes.

"Hawkgirl!" Superman bellowed. "This way!"

Deciding her walker was beaten, Hawkgirl flew through the hole after Superman. When they landed inside, they were both surprised by how organic the entire structure looked. Much like how the outside resembled a human heart, the inside shared similar traits.

"Keep a sharp eye out." Superman cautioned.

"I always do." Hawkgirl quipped, mace at the ready.

Continuing deeper into the factory, they were suddenly fired upon by several of the Invaders.

"Stay back." Superman called out. "I'll-"

Before he could finish however, Hawkgirl flew forward and attacked. Her mace smashed the Invaders into white goo in a matter of seconds. Superman was forced to duck in order to avoid one invader that Hawkgirl sent flying his way.

"Whoa..." he muttered, surveying the scene.

"What?" Hawkgirl asked. "There's a time for words, and a time for action."

She stalked off deeper into the factory, leaving Superman to wonder if having her as a partner was really a good idea.

…..

Green Lantern had almost fully freed Flash from the gunk, having to resort to burning it off with his ring. The entire time he worked, he let out a slew of insults at the speedster.

"Of all the idiotic, bone-headed, glory-grabbing moves! Haven't you ever heard of team work?!"

Their conversation was interrupted, however, by the walkers firing upon them.

"Um, maybe we better save the motivational speeches for later!" Flash shouted, pulling himself free of the last of the gunk.

The two managed to get away seconds before the walkers blasted the spot where Flash had been stuck. Green Lantern conjured up a shield that managed to keep the blasts at bay. Unfortunately, the walkers quickly adapted, shooting the shield with a type of yellow smoke bomb. As Lantern choked on the gas, Flash created a pair of whirlwinds with his arms, quickly clearing the air.

"GL, you okay?" he asked, approaching Lantern cautiously.

Lantern didn't move, and the walkers were closing in.

"Uh-oh. Gotta run."

Flash grabbed GL, running like crazy out of the jungle and out of Malaysia.

…..

Superman and Hawkgirl continued to fly through the factory, both of them of edge from how eerily silent it was. Landing for a moment, Hawkgirl gripped her mace tightly.

"They're close by." she growled. "I can almost smell them."

"Are you always so eager to fight?" Superman questioned.

"My home Thanagar is a war like world." Hawkgirl explained intensely. "There one must strike first or die."

Any further conversation was interrupted by an onslaught of laser fire from the Invaders. The two heroes barely had time to face the attackers before they ran out of the room. Behind them, the doors sealed shut. Turning around, Superman saw the other exits quickly sealing up as well.

"It's a trap!"

Then, tiny vents in the wall began emitting that same toxic yellow gas used on Green Lantern. Within seconds, the two heroes were down for the count, unconscious and at the mercy of the Invaders.

…..

Back in Egypt, Diana kept the Invaders at bay with her bracelets as the group tried to make it deeper into the factory. Unfortunately, the Invaders were making it far from easy.

"They've blocked us off again." she shouted in frustration.

"It's almost as if they know what we're thinking!" Kari yelled.

Batman tossed a batarang at the arch above the invaders, the resulting explosion scattering the attackers. One such attack came a bit too close to the group, earning himself a punch from J'honn. The Invader fell, his weapon landing in Kari's lap. She took it, a bit weirded out by the feel of it, but happy to have some sort of weapon to defend herself with.

"What now, J'honn?" she asked, looking up at the Martian.

J'honn didn't reply. Instead, he stood there for a moment, his eyes glowing a bright amber color. After a few seconds, the glow faded.

"Superman and Hawkgirl are down." He reported. "They have failed."

"No, it can't be." Kari gasped.

"Are you sure?" Diana asked.

J'honn gave a single nod. While all four of them were worried about their fallen comrades, they were halfway around the world and had a job of their own to accomplish. Setting the problem aside, J'honn flew down one of the corridors.

"This way." He announced.

They all took off down the winding path, Invaders coming from all sides to try and stop their advance. Kari aimed her weapon over J'honn's shoulder, serving as cover fire and even managing to hit a few invaders before the group found cover in a high vantage point.

"Nice shooting." Batman complimented.

Kari shrugged.

"I need more practice." She replied. "My aim is worse than a storm troopers."

J'honn raised a non-existent eyebrow.

"Stormtrooper?" he repeated.

Kari smiled at the Martian's confusion.

"Remind me to introduce you to Star Wars after we save the world." She told him.

They kept running, taking many sharp turns before Diana noticed that they were no longer being pursued.

"They stopped following us." She announced.

"For now." Batman added.

From his belt, Batman pulled out a pair of thick metal knuckles, ones that could generate a fair amount of electricity. Feeling properly armed in case they were caught again, Batman turned to continue running, only to be stopped by J'honn.

"Look." The Martian pointed. "It is the central core."

Looking up, the group saw a strange stone about the size of a football hovering in a cocoon of energy in the center of the room. Invaders surrounded it on all sides, monitoring power levels and other readings this stone was giving off.

"I guess we have to get that stone out of the pod for this factory to shut down." Kari figured.

"The ion matrix crystal." J'honn clarified. "And yes. Once it has been removed, the entire plant with shut down."

He gently set Kari down behind one of the walls, positioning her so she wouldn't be easily seen.

"I will need a diversion." He announced.

Kari smirked, then aimed her weapon at a large vein hanging over a group of invaders. Actually taking time to perfect her aim, she fired, successfully severing the vein and sending a deluge of strange, black fluid down on the invaders. Taking a page from Kari's book, Batman sent out a batarang, severing a similar vein. This one also sent out a spray of black gunk.

Diana didn't have any weapons to throw or fire, but she did have her Amazonian strength. She took hold of a nearby vein, yanking it free from its holding. This vein didn't have the black gunk that Batman's and Kari's had. Instead, a spray of grey smoke began to fill the room. With the invaders now successfully distracted, J'honn went intangible, sinking into the ground as the invaders began to fire back.

"Diana, grab Kari!" Batman ordered as he dove for cover.

Diana did just that, flying to safety seconds before the invaders' shots it where Kari had been. Taking the high ground, Diana put Kari back on the ground, using her bracelets to reflect the shots. Kari quickly got onto her stomach, aiming over the ledge to fire down on the invaders. Batman chose a more direct approach, using his grapnel to swing down towards the invaders, where his electrified knuckles made short work of them.

Up on the platform with the central core, J'honn materialized behind one sole invader guarding it. With barely any effort at all, the Martian tossed the invader off the platform then turned his attention to the ion crystal. Carefully, he removed the crystal, causing several pieces of the alien machinery to fail. Unfortunately, his actions did not go unnoticed, and an invader blasted him in the back, sending him tumbling off the platform.

"J'honn!" Kari screamed.

Diana acted on instinct, flying down towards J'honn to try and help the fallen Martian. Unfortunately, this left Kari stuck on the ledge without any back-up. The Invaders converged on her, and with Diana dealing with J'honn, Batman was the only one available to help her.

"Get him out of here!" Bat's ordered Diana. "I've got Kari."

He shot his grapnel up into the ceiling, swinging towards Kari and catching her around the waist. During the downward arc, Batman noticed the ion crystal sitting in the middle of the floor. By now, Diana and J'honn were clear of the room, and one of the invaders was trying to trap them inside. Thankfully, the loss of the ion crystal made the door slow to close.

"Bats, we can't let them get the crystal!" Kari shrieked.

Batman knew that, but he also knew that he didn't have time to get both the crystal and Kari out of there. With the door closing fast, Batman did the only thing he could think of.

"Diana, catch!"

Diana turned just in time to see Batman throw Kari through the door. She caught her as Batman scrambled for the crystal. Unfortunately, even when using his grapnel to increase his speed, he wasn't fast enough to beat the door.

"Batman!" Kari screamed.

J'honn slowly came to as Kari tumbled out of Diana's arms, army crawling towards the door. She aimed her weapon at it, hoping to blast it open. However, before she could let out a single shot, the door bent like rubber as the invaders inside shot at it, and the hero standing in front of it.

"No!" Kari cried, tears coming to her eyes. "Batman!"

Both Diana and J'honn approached Kari, placing their hands on her shoulders. J'honn was silent as Diana looked up in sorrow.

"Hera help us…"

…..

Returning to Metropolis, the entire city had descended into anarchy and chaos. From atop a skyscraper, J'honn, Diana, and Kari watched as metropolis citizens looted, destroyed, and ran amuck all across the city.

"So this is what the world of man is like." Diana muttered. "Nothing but untamed savages."

"Don't judge us too harshly, Diana." Kari mumbled, slumping in her wheelchair. "They're scared, and they feel helpless. Useless to stop what has happened… or what is to come…"

J'honn squeezed her shoulder, knowing she spoke of her own feelings about what had happened to Batman. They didn't have much longer to talk, for about that time, Flash and Green Lantern came running/flying respectively up to where they were waiting.

"Sorry we're late." GL apologized. "Had to stop and help some civilians."

"Whatcha call us back for?" Flash asked.

Diana pointed towards the factory solemnly.

"Superman has been captured." She explained. "He and Hawkgirl are being held in there somewhere."

Flash stared at the factory in shock as GL noted that they were lacking another member.

"Where's Batman?" He questioned.

Kari's fists clenched as she fought back tears. This was all the answer anyone needed.

"No…" GL gasped.

"The Bat's gone?" Flash asked.

"It was my fault." Kari lamented. "You were right, GL. I should have just gone to a shelter and hidden… If I had just listened-"

"What is done is done." J'honn interrupted. "Right now, we must focus on what is before us."

"Agreed." Diana said with a nod. "We must rescue Superman and Hawkgirl."

"You guys go." Kari told them. "I'm going to do what I should have done after escaping from that facility."

She turned around and wheeled herself into the skyscraper. Everyone watched her go, and Flash wanted to go after her. However, it was clear that she had made her choice. With a heavy silence, the heroes all made their way towards the factory. Looking back, Kari watched them go, then sighed, going into the skyscraper's elevator, which surprisingly was working. Once inside, she hit the ground floor button and leaned back in her chair, her arms flopping into her lap in utter defeat.

"Stupid…" she muttered. "Stupid… stupid… Stupid!"

She shoved her hands into her pockets, and when she did, her face went from upset to confused in an instant. There was something in her pocket, something that hadn't been there before, at least, not to her knowledge.

"What the-"

Pulling it out, she found that she had something hard and oddly shaped in her pocket, a piece of paper wrapped around it. As the elevator reached the bottom floor, Kari rolled out, staring at this strange little package. She unwrapped the paper to reveal a bat-shaped remote. Moreover, there was a small message written on the note.

 _Press the red button and wait. You'll know what to do next._

There was no signature, but it was obvious who this gift was from.

"Alright Bats… Let's see what you planned."

With that, she hit the button, then settled down to wait.

…..

Crouched behind a low wall of debris, the four heroes watched as the Walkers patrolled the area, blasting everything that wasn't already rubble.

"You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." Flash remarked.

"You got a better idea, hot shot?" Green Lantern retorted. "Without Superman and Hawkgirl, we don't stand a chance. That means, if we want even an iota of a shot at stopping this invasion, we need to get them out."

"How do we even know they're still in there?" Flash asked

"I can feel them." J'honn replied, brow furrowed in concentration. "But we must hurry. The Imperium is coming."

The other three blinked in confusion.

"Imperium?" Diana repeated.

"The supreme intelligence that controls the invaders." J'honn clarified, looking up at the sky in a mixture of dread and anger. "We have met before."

"If that's true, then we need to work fast." Lantern announced. "Flash, create a diversion. Diana, J'honn, watch my back."

Everyone gave a single nod, then Flash darted out into the path of one of the Walkers as the other three took off into the sky. Picking up a baseball sized rock, Flash lobbed it at one of the Walkers, striking it on its head. The thing turned, focusing on where Flash stood, waving his arms with a goofy smile on his face.

"Tag, you're it!" Flash called out, sticking his tongue out and wiggling his fingers in his ears.

The Walker fired repeatedly at Flash, but he was quick to avoid them. He spotted a large gathering of the same runoff that he had accidentally stepped in back in Malaysia. An idea forming, he leaned against a rock close to the runoff, taking on a lazy pose.

"Not even close!" he shouted.

As the Walker focused on his again, Flash did a come-at-me motion.

"Come on, slow poke." He taunted. "I dare ya! Over here!"

The Walker lifted one of its spindle-like legs, having realized blasting is pointless, and attempted to spear Flash. However, Flash merely sidestepped, causing the Walker to impale the runoff, causing an explosion that completely destroyed its leg. The Walker seemed to look at its leg before slowly falling over.

"Guess you really stepped in it this time." Flash quipped, waving goodbye.

The Walker exploded as Flash sped off to catch up to the rest of the team.

…..

Green Lantern's group skirted around the edge of the factory, careful to avoid the invaders sent to investigate Flash's antics. Thankfully, finding an entry point into the factory was easy enough, as the hole Superman had created was still open. The three heroes flew through the hole, where Flash was quick to join them.

"Where are they being held?" Lantern questioned.

"This way." J'honn answered, pointing off to the right.

Before they rounded the corner, the four of them heard a pair of invaders conversing in their alien tongue. The heroes took cover behind the wall, J'honn tentatively looking around the corner. He quickly formed a plan, turning to his comrades.

"Wait here." He requested.

J'honn's form then began to melt and shift, forming into one of the invaders. He ran around the corner, talking to the invaders in their language. The two brandished their weapons and ran towards the corner where the other three heroes were hiding. However, before they could let off a shot, or raise an alarm, J'honn phased his arms through their chests, becoming tangible and causing significant damage to them.

"Come." J'honn commanded, phasing out of the now unconscious aliens. "We must keep moving."

As the other heroes stepped over the fallen invaders, Flash couldn't help but shiver.

"Glad he's on our side."

The rest of their journey was relatively easy. Aside from the two guards J'honn had dealt with, no other invaders appeared. Though none would say it aloud, their absence had them all on edge. After a while, they arrived at a thick door, one that J'honn placed his hand on and nodded.

"I can sense them." He announced. "They are somewhere beyond this door."

Diana approached the door, attempting to shove it aside or break it. Unfortunately, the door had been sealed to a point that her strength was insufficient.

"I cannot move it." She lamented.

"But perhaps I can." Green Lantern suggested, holding up his ring hand.

Diana stepped back as GL focused, gathering the energy of his ring into a powerful laser. With it, he began to cut through the thick wall, carving out a hole in the door. After a few minutes, the large piece GL had carved out fell to the ground, revealing both Hawkgirl and Superman.

"Great Hera!" Diana exclaimed.

The two heroes were hanging upside down, unconscious and unmoving. Thankfully, Hawkgirl let out a groan, signifying that they were still alive. GL, Flash, and Diana rushed to their sides, eager to free their allies. However, J'honn sensed something.

"Wait!" he warned. "Something is not right!"

Before anyone could question what J'honn met, both Superman and Hawkgirl opened their eyes, revealing solid red eyes. Everybody gasped, realizing all too late that they had stumbled into a trap. The hole GL had carved quickly closed up, and that same yellow gas that had been used to incapacitate the real Hawkgirl and Superman was blasted into the room.

Despite everyone's efforts to try and fight off the gas' effects, they all succumbed to unconsciousness, the fake Superman and Hawkgirl looking down at them happily.

…..

Kari probably would have been pacing if she had the capacity to. She had been waiting for what felt like hours, though she had no way of telling just how long it had truly been. However, her patience was soon rewarded by the sound of a familiar ship descending from the sky. Looking up, Kari gasped as she saw the Bat Plane touching down on the street before her.

"No way…" She gasped, looking down at the remote in her hand.

The hatch to the plane opened, as if inviting Kari to climb in. Without a second's hesitation, Kari rolled over to the plane, pulling herself onto the wing first, then scooting herself over to the cockpit. She climbed into the pilot's seat of the plane, pulling her legs in after her.

"Batman, I don't know what you have planned, but I'm seriously hoping you left instructions."

"Actually, he went a step further Miss Miller." A British sounding voice told her through the plane's speakers.

"Holy-!" Kari squeaked. "The Bat Plane has an A.I system?!"

The British voice let out a chuckle.

"No it does not. I am merely an associate of The Batman, one who had aided him in his... endeavors for a very long time."

Kari felt more than a bit sheepish after jumping to such an outlandish conclusion so quickly. However, she quickly recovered, realizing that time was most likely not on her side.

"Right. Well, do you have a name?" she asked.

"Most youngsters who commandeer the bat vehicles have called me Jeeves."

"Okay then, Jeeves." Kari replied. "You said Bats went a step further involving the instructions."

"Correct." Jeeves answered "I have been asked to provide you with a basic how to fly lesson, as well as give you a message."

Kari perked up.

"Message?"

"Yes. He said to tell you to wait for the signal. When I asked him for clarification, he merely stated, and I'm quoting, 'she'll know it when she sees it'."

While still confused, Kari decided to trust Batman, cracking her knuckles in anticipation.

"If that's true, then let's begin that pilot's crash course!"

Her merriment, and excitement were cut short by a low rumbling coming from the sky. A dark shadow permeated the thick clouds as everything began to shake. Outside, the windows of the surrounding buildings shattered, the Bat-plane's windows only barely staying together. Rubble began falling like rain, sending the remaining citizens scattering for cover.

From the clouds, Kari watched as a gigantic ship, easily dwarfing the ones that had come before it. It loomed over the city, making its way towards the large factory Kari's friends were currently in.

"Hell's bells…" Kari swore.

"What is it?" Jeeves asked.

Gulping, Kari belted herself into the seat.

"Don't ask." She told him. "Just start that crash course. Emphasis on crash!"

…..

Back inside the factory, all six of the superheroes were now prisoners of the invaders. Bound to a strange platform in the central core room, the four recently caught heroes slowly came to.

"J'honn." Superman called. "J'honn wake up."

With an audible groan, the Martian did just that, surveying his surroundings calmly.

"It would seem that our rescue mission has failed." He remarked.

"You shouldn't have tried to save us." Superman told him. "Our lives aren't worth yours."

"Would you have done less for any of us?" J'honn countered.

On that note, the rest of the heroes came to, just in time to be greeted by an entire platoon of invaders. One such invader stepped forward, speaking to them in plain English.

"Earth's mightiest heroes." It taunted, shape shifting into the form of Senator Carter. "Welcome."

"Senator Carter…" Superman gasped.

"Not exactly." The faux Carter replied. "You see, the real carter never made it off Mars."

"And you used me to weaken Earth's defenses!" Superman shouted.

"You were so eager to cooperate." Faux Carter jeered, "And I must say, we all have you to thank for the complete and utter helplessness of the humans. We couldn't have done it better ourselves."

Superman glared at the faux carter, rage emanating from his form. He was getting incredibly sick and tired of being the bad guy's puppet over and over again.

"It's not over yet." Superman swore.

A large hatch in the roof opened up as Faux Carter chuckled.

"Wrong again, Superman." He declared.

From the hatch, Superman and all the other heroes saw a gigantic ship hovering amongst the thick sea of clouds. A hatch opened at the bottom of the ship, releasing a smaller black ship that descended through the hole in the top of the factory.

"All hail the Imperium!" Faux Carter called.

All of the invaders gave a deep bow as the ship opened up, allowing a grey and purple jelly-fish looking alien to emerge. It was easily three times as tall as a normal invader, and twice that size wide. Three red eyes moved around freely on the semi-translucent flesh that served as its face. It floated towards the captive heroes, with particular interest in J'honn.

"J'honn J'onzz." The Imperium called out, its voice laced with surprise, and no small amount of malicious glee. "It's been a long time."

The part of the platform holding J'honn suddenly moved, setting the Martian down in front of the Imperium before releasing him. Before J'honn could even think about acting on his sudden freedom, a pair of invaders came up on either side of him, stabbing him with large, alien electrical baton.

The other five captive heroes watched helplessly as J'honn writhed in pain. Superman tried to pull against his bonds, but even his great strength was no match. Even his heat vision didn't cause enough damage. Everyone else tried to escape as well, but their attempts were met with equal failure.

The invaders finally removed the batons from J'honn, the pain having forced him to revert to his original Martian form. He fell to the ground, groaning in pain as his two torturers pulled him to his feet.

"Much better." The Imperium announced. "You have defied us for centuries."

" _And I will never bow before you or any of your kind!_ " J'honn declared, his voice mentally echoing throughout the factory.

"Then we shall seek to accomplish what should have been completed so many years ago." The Imperium seemed to snarl. "The elimination of the last Martian."

The Imperium's tentacles shot forward, embedding themselves underneath J'honn's skin. They began working their way up his arms, legs, through his torso, and even across his face. J'honn's screams came out ragged and strangled as he tried desperately to escape from the Imperium's clutches. However, the Imperium just chuckled, pulling him closer and closer until J'honn was literally pulled into the Imperium itself.

"Aww sick…" Flash gagged.

As J'honn was tortured inside the Imperium, Superman redoubled his efforts to escape.

"Let him go you- Ungh!" he cried, fighting with all his strength against the bonds holding him.

The Imperium paid the heroes no mind, relishing in the pain of his ancient foe.

"Yield to us, J'honn J'onzz." It taunted.

" _Never!_ "

"Why do you resist?" The Imperium asked. "Embrace this truth. After all these years, you have finally lost."

Despite all the pain he was in, all the suffering he was enduring, and the fear he felt for his captive friends, J'honn managed to smile.

" _Have I?_ "

The Imperium faltered, the overwhelming confidence it once exude diluting at the conviction of J'honn's words.

"You're hiding something." It realized, probing deeper into J'honn's body and mind. "Something hidden in the recesses of your mind. Is this another of your Martian tricks?"

" _Do I sense fear?_ " J'honn taunted.

The Imperium began to spark with electricity as it redoubled its efforts to destroy J'honn.

"What are you hiding?!" It demanded.

Instead of answer, J'honn forced himself to morph back into his humanoid form, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Now!"

There was an explosion over by the central core of the factory, drawing everyone's attention. From the smoke emerged Batman, much to everyone's shock and elation.

"Batman!" Diana cried happily.

"You're alive!" Flash added.

"How is this possible?" Green Lantern questioned.

"I mentally shielded him so he couldn't be detected." J'honn explained, using the Imperium's distraction to pull himself from its putrid body.

Batman shoved his hand into the pod surrounding the Ion Matrix crystal, attaching a small machine to it. The veins on the crystal turned blue, a color that spread through the pod, and across the ship.

"What have you done?!" Faux Carter demanded.

"Reversed the ion charge." Batman replied.

In a sudden realization of just what had been done, the Imperium let out a frightened order.

"Destroy the crystal!" it commanded. "Now!"

The invaders began firing on the crystal, but their own shielding was now working against them. Batman swung down from the platform, landing by the other heroes.

"If my hypothesis is correct, then we'll have some more help soon." He told them.

"More help?" Hawkgirl questioned. "Who?"

Batman smirked.

"Kari."

…..

Outside, the factory was beginning to act incredibly strange. The black clouds it had been originally producing were suddenly replaced with a bright beam of blue light. It pierced the sea of clouds, causing a large chain reaction that had the entire mass sparking with energy. Then, ever so slowly, the clouds began to disperse, making was for the sunlight once more.

From where she sat in the bat plane, Kari watched the display with a cocky grin.

"I'll bet you dollars to donuts that's the signal, Jeeves." She chuckled

"Well then, I suggest you get moving then." Jeeves told her.

Powering on the bat plane, Kari lifted off, jetting towards the factory.

"Now a quick reminder, which switch activates the missiles?" she asked.

"Fifth on the left." Jeeves answered.

Kari grinned, flipping the switch and jamming her fingers on the firing buttons.

…..

Inside the factory, the walls of the factory began to shake from the force of multiple explosions. Then, the wall suddenly gave way, allowing for the bat plane to enter the large area.

"What is this?!" The Imperium exclaimed.

Kari grabbed a speaker from the console, thumbing down on the button with no small amount of joy.

"Payback!" Kari screamed.

She flipped a few more switches, activating a large searchlight that the bat plane had. With good aim, she blasted the spot where the other heroes were being held prisoner, causing their bonds to literally dissolve.

"How is that working?" Flash questioned.

"See for yourself!" Batman told him, pointing up at the Imperium.

Through the still open hatch in the roof, the sunlight was beginning to pour in. As it did, the invaders, including the Faux Carter and the Imperium began to smoke and bubble, reacting violently to the light. One invader who was a bit too slow to seek shelter in the shadows literally melted in the light.

"These things can't stand the light!" Kari exclaimed. "It's why they're nocturnal, why they live underground, and why they wanted to blot out the sun! Light literally kills them!"

Superman smiled at that, understanding how to win now. He pulled himself free of the now weakened bindings, helping the others free themselves. Meanwhile, J'honn had finally managed to free himself from the Imperium's body, though its tentacles remained embedded in his flesh. Still, he only used them to drag the large alien further into the light.

"I knew you would find their weakness, Batman." He called.

"Technically, Kari found it first." Batman corrected.

Kari took hold of the speaker, grinning as she depressed the button with her them

"Thanks Bats!" Kari told him. "And good to see you're alive!"

"Did you really think something like that could kill me?" he asked her.

"Not anymore!" Kari smirked, then swung the light onto the various invaders while firing a few more missiles.

Realizing that everything was literally falling apart, the Imperium gave out a pained order.

"Destroy them!" it screeched.

The invaders and the Faux Carter attempted to shoot the heroes, as well as Kari. However, the sun had greatly injured them, and the heroes now knew how to stop them. Hawkgirl and Superman drew their fire upwards, blasting bigger holes in the roof for the sunlight to come through. Flash barreled through them at blinding speeds, splattering them across the factory as Green Lantern literally grabbed them with his ring, throwing them into the sunlight.

Kari soon found herself out of missiles, but didn't let that deter her.

"Bats, I'm gonna have to crash your plane through some walls." She announced.

"Go for it." He told her. "I've got another one."

With a grin, Kari began smashing through walls left right and center, turning the factory into an alien version of Swiss cheese. GL, Superman and Wonder Woman all joined her, Hawkgirl preferring to smash the invaders rather than burn them.

Meanwhile, J'honn continued to hold the Imperium in the spotlight, the jellyfish-like creatures sheer mass being the only thing that was keeping it alive despite the extended exposure to the sun. Even still, it could tell that it wouldn't last much longer in the light. Desperate to escape, the Imperium delivered a nasty shock to J'honn, knocking the Martian unconscious. It then pulled its tentacles free of J'honn, floating back into the safety of the darkness.

"No planet is worth this." It declared.

As the Imperium began to retreat into its cruiser, many invaders, including the faux Carter, attempted to grab hold of it in an attempt to escape death as well. However, the Imperium would have none of it. It batted its soldiers off of it, sending them back down to die in the light.

Kari noticed the small ship about to escape, grabbing the speaker once more.

"Diana!"

Diana looked up to see the ship attempting to escape, immediately going for her lasso. With a practiced toss, she managed to get her lasso around the tail of the ship, pulling with all her strength. With her Amazonian strength, she kept the ship to escaping to the mother ship, until it let off a shot. Diana was forced to release her lasso in order to deflect the shot, and the ship wasted no time in escaping.

However, Hawkgirl was having none of that. Powering up her mace, she flew to the front of the ship, pulling her weapon back as far as she could. Then, with a powerful blast, she swung her mace, concaving the entire front of the ship and causing it to slowly fall back towards the factory. Diana flew up, retaking her lasso and resuming her attempts to pull it down, aiding in the speed of the ship's descent.

Kari flew up to the ship, flipping on the thrusters.

"This is gonna hurt, but it is so gonna be worth it." She muttered.

She shot forward, setting the bat plane on a collision course into the already crumbling ship. Seconds before impact, she pulled the ejector seat, sending her flying into the air as the plane exploded against the ship.

"Woo Hoo!" she cheered.

Inside the factory, J'honn pulled himself from unconsciousness, his eyes immediately locking onto Kari's falling form. With speed that rivaled Superman's, he shot forward, catching her before her descent could truly begin. Now safely in the hands of her friend, Kari wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"You okay J'honn?" she asked.

"I am now, thanks to you."

From where they were in the sky, the two of them watched at the ship went falling own onto the factory, the Imperium and various invaders screaming as fire and debris claimed their lives. Batman nearly joined them, but thankfully, Flash got him out of the way in time.

"Hate to lose you again." The speedster joked.

Various alien machinery was beginning to combust, and it was obvious that the structure would not hold for much longer.

"We better get out of here!" Flash suggested.

"Not without them!" Superman interjected, pointing to a group of civilians trapped in pods similar to the ones he'd seen back in the military base.

Superman began pulling the civilians from the pods, Flash and Batman covering him from the few invaders who were still trying to follow orders. Once they were all free, Green Lantern gathered them all in a cocoon of energy, lifting them to safety. With nobody left to rescue, the heroes all fled the factory, escaping seconds before the entire structure exploded into bits of alien gunk.

"Did we win?" Kari asked.

Superman smiled, then pointed at the sky. Everyone looked up, each of them grinning when they saw the Invader's mothership fleeing the planet. More than that, the last of the clouds were slowly fading away, giving way for the sunny day that should have been.

"I think we did." Superman replied.

…..

The heroes still had quite a bit of work left to do, even with the mothership gone for good. A few of the invaders still remained that needed to be dealt with, but they were easily dispatched, especially now that the heroes had figured out how to handle teamwork. Kari was even able to help, providing aerial support through a spare Bat plane that Batman had provided. Within a few weeks, the last of the invaders were gone.

However, even with the invasion defeated, the world was still feeling the effects. The human race had gotten lucky this go around, but with the world's stockpile of nuclear weapons disarmed and unusable, the world would need a way to defend itself from threats like this again. Thankfully, a certain vigilante had been thinking the same thing, and had the answer to the problem.

Batman gathered all of the heroes that had been present for the invasion, including Kari amongst the ranks, and showed them his latest project. It was a gigantic space station, equipped with a large communication array, monitoring system for both deep space, and for the earth itself, and the capacity to sustain a fair sized crew for extended periods of time.

"Incredible." Kari gasped, marveling at the sheer size of the place, and the magnificent view. "Absolutely incredible."

"Do your Stockholders know about this, Bruce?" Superman asked, keeping his voice low.

"A line item hidden in the Aerospace R&D budget." Batman replied.

Green Lantern flew down in front of the two, a rare smile on his face.

"With all of the sensors and monitors on this thing, we'll be ready in case anything like that ever happens again."

There was the sound of a door opening as Flash and Diana joined them.

"More than that, the kitchen has an iced mocha machine!" Flash cheered.

Kari rolled over to join the group, Flash immediately handing her one. She sipped at it happily, noting Diana doing the same.

"They don't have these on Themyscira." She remarked.

Flash sped to her side, giving her a knowing look.

"Stick with me, Princess." He told her. "I'll show you the ropes."

Kari wheeled between them.

"In your dreams, hot shot." She quipped, elbowing him in the ribs.

That's when Hawkgirl handed amongst the group, looking more than a bit confused.

"This is an impressive station." She admitted. "But I fail to see what that had to do with us."

Everyone turned to Batman, but the dark knight merely turned his attention to Superman. The Man of Steel looked down, as if a bit unsure of himself. Still, he straightened up and began speaking.

"I once thought I could protect the world by myself." He explained "But I was wrong. Working together, we saved the planet. And I believe that if we stay together, as a team, we would be a force that could truly work for the ideals of peace and justice."

"What, like a bunch of Super-Friends?" Flash asked.

"That sounds like a debunk comic series." Kari interjected. "How about…. Justice League?"

"And you accused mine of being corny." Flash quipped. "Still, no matter the name, I can see something like this working."

He walked towards Superman, sticking his hand out.

"You have my vote." He said.

Superman placed his hand on Flash's as Green Lantern did the same.

"Mine too." Green Lantern added.

Hawkgirl gave a nod, approaching them and adding her hand.

"And mine."

Diana hesitated for a moment, but steeled herself.

"My mother may not approve, but I find man's world to be intriguing." She decided. "I'll gladly join."

As her hand joined the pile, Superman looked over at Batman.

"What about you, Batman?"

"I'm not much of a 'people person'." He explained, turning away, but pausing for a second. "But when you need help, and you will, call me."

"Understood." Superman replied before finally turning to Kari. "And how about you?"

Kari's eyes flew open.

"Me?" she asked pointing to herself. "Superman, I'm flattered but… I'm not a superhero like you guys. I'm just a normal girl."

"After seeing you willingly putting yourself in harms to help us, I wouldn't say you're just a normal girl." Superman corrected. "Besides, if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that even superheroes have trouble with the law."

Kari raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, are you saying that-?"

"Kari, we'd like you to be the official legal representative of the Justice League." Superman explained. "It's not as calm as your job at the Metropolis Municipal court, but I can promise you that you will never have a dull day with us."

Kari was speechless.

"You…. You want me?"

"I can't think of anyone better suited for the position." Superman told her.

"Me neither." Flash agreed.

Kari broke into a smile, rolling towards the group and adding her hand.

"Alright then." She decided. "I'll do it."

"Then we're all in agreement." Superman declared.

That's when Kari noticed that J'honn was nowhere to be seen. She looked around curiously.

"Anybody seen J'honn?" she asked.

Superman looked up, spotting the Martian up on one of the higher platforms. Taking hold of Kari's wheelchair handles, he flew up to where J'honn stood, setting her down beside him before landing himself.

"You alright, J'honn?" Kari asked, taking his hand.

"My family and loved ones are long gone." He explained, gently squeezing her hand. "I am the last of my kind."

"I know the feeling." Superman replied, placing a hand on J'honn's shoulder.

"Now, Mars is dead, and I am alone in the universe."

"No you're not, J'honn." Kari interjected.

He looked down at Kari in surprise.

"I know this isn't mars, and that we could never replace the ones you lost…" she told him, "But, I would be honored if you could come to call Earth your home."

J'honn looked at her, smiling as he gave a small nod.

"I think I could." He decided. "And with you by my side, perhaps my loneliness will dissipate."

With that, J'honn picked up Kari, carrying her back down to the rest of the group of heroes, now and forever known as the Justice League.


	3. In Blackest Night

Ajuris-5

Inside of a large gathering chamber, aliens of different species gathered in angry protest. They were all shouting for justice, their protests met with demands for order and silence from various guards and official moderators. However, the angry shouts could not be silenced, until a large screen powered on, showing three mask-like faces. The second the screen came online, a loud trio of voices shouted out.

"SILENCE!"

The entire room fell silent, rising to their feet, or simply rising, as the middle mask began to speak.

"This high tribunal is now convened." He declared. "Never before have so many put aside their differences and come together in pursuit of a single goal."

The mask on the right began to speak in a female's voice.

"But never before has there been a crime so heinous," She added, a note of disgust in her voice, "so vast that it had the power to unite us in grief and revulsion."

The entire audience remained silent, returning to their seats as the third mask spoke out.

"We are gathered here today to seek Justice." He announced.

One specific alien, obviously some sort of representative of the people as a whole, came forward on a floating platform, rising until he was practically level with the large screen on which the large masks resided.

"Where is the accused?" the middle mask asked of the representative.

"Unfortunately, he is still at large." He lamented, gesturing to an empty platform with the word 'accused' inscribed on it.

The three masks exchanged looked, then turned their attentions back to the crowd.

"Manhunters!" the middle mask called out. "Come forwards!"

Off to the side, a large army of red and blue robots marched forward, approaching the screen like a platoon of soldiers walking into battle. As they gathered around the screen, the other male mask spoke out.

"This is no ordinary criminal." He warned the Manhunters. "Finding him and bringing him back will almost certainly involve great peril. Are you prepared for that?"

"No man escapes the Manhunters." Declared one of the robots.

"No man escapes the Manhunters!" the other robots shouted in unison.

The masks all gave a nod, then the first robot to speak up turned to the representative.

"Show us an image of the accused." It demanded.

The representative tapped a button on the console of his hover pad, activating a holographic imager. The picture took a second to clear up, but it soon became a solid image of a Green lantern, specifically John Stewart. There were many gasps in the crowd, as well as many angry shouts that had to be quieted down.

"He is a native of the planet Earth." The representative explained. "The Green Lantern of Sector 2814, John Stewart."

…..

On Earth, John Stewart walked down the street of his old neighborhood. Rather than his usual Green Lantern uniform, he was wearing civilian clothing, a pair of sunglasses covering his perpetually glowing green eyes. He looked around the place he had called home for so many years, marveling how it had remained mostly untouched by the years.

To anyone who just happened to pass by, John may have appeared to have been simply enjoying the tranquility. However, to a trained eye, there were signs that perhaps not all was alright with him. His posture was slumped, he was silent, and the way he looked around, it was with the eyes of a person who never expected to return.

As he passed by a small grocery store, he happened to glance through the window to see a young punk holding up the guy behind the register. Ducking out of view, John waited until the punk came running out of the store, jumping into his waiting card for a quick getaway. Before the kid could even make it halfway down the block, John held out his ring hand, catching the car's rear wheels in its energy and bringing the car to a stop.

The kid, not realizing what was going on, tried to speed up. John wasn't having any of that, so he engulfed the entire car in energy, lifting it into the air before bring it down on the road a good three times. The kid pulled himself from the car, flopping onto the ground in pain. John them surrounded him in energy, lifting him into the air and dragging him back to the store.

The guy who had been held at gunpoint mere minutes ago came running out of the store, hoping he could at least catch the license number of the car. However, he soon found himself catching the stolen money out of the air as John literally shook the kid down from above the guy. Once all the money had been returned, the kid was dropped unceremoniously to the ground and John continued his journey, not even acknowledging his deed.

Walking a bit farther, a basket ball rolled itself into John's path. He picked it up, smiling fondly as he remembered his memories of playing basketball in high school. He was pulled from his thoughts by a young voice calling out to him.

"Yo!" a young boy shouted from the court right next to him. "A little help? Over here!"

John looked at the ball, then at the hoop. Wondering if he still had it in him, he took a stance and tossed the ball at the hoop. It went arcing towards the hoop, then ended up rebounding off the rim. The boy snorted, then chased after his ball. John sighed as an older gentleman walked up next to him.

"Time was, you could have made that shot with your eyes closed."

John turned to the man, his eyes widening in recognition.

"Mr. McGee?" he asked, unable to keep a note of happy surprise out of his voice.

Mr. McGee chuckled, placing a hand on John's shoulder.

"You're not in my history class anymore, John." He informed him. "Call me Al."

John chuckled as well, looking back at the boy, who had managed to recover his ball and was running over to the two of them.

"Guess my game's a little rusty." John admitted.

"Well, Chris can give you some pointers." Al informed him, ruffling the boy's hair. "He's my grandson."

John looked at Chris, then back at Al, surprised by this information.

"Grandson?" he repeated.

Al wrapped an arm around John's shoulder, leading him and Chris away from the basketball court.

"You've been away a long time." Al reminded him.

"Yeah," John agreed, his face falling as he looked at his ring. "Maybe too long."

…..

Up in the Watchtower, Hawkgirl was doing some system checks on the tower's deep space monitoring network with Flash watching her off to the side. He had quickly grown bored, and decided to strike up a conversation with his winged companion.

"So, back on Thanagar, you were a cop, right?" he asked.

"Detective actually." She clarified.

"What's it like there?" he wondered, eating some small candied he had with him.

"The same as anywhere, I suppose." She replied, finishing up her work. "There are criminals, and we catch them."

Flash smirked.

"And what about when you're not catching criminals?" he questioned. "When you're not working."

"What about it?" Hawkgirl asked, finally looking up.

"Well," Flash responded, waving his hand in the air a bit. "Is there a… Hawkboy?"

Hawkgirl smiled, but didn't answer. J'honn walked up to them, giving Hawkgirl the chance to fly up towards the door.

"I'm going to continue work on maintenance." She announced, preparing to walk out.

Flash watched her go, then turned to J'honn with a sly smile. As the door closed, he gave a shrug.

"What?" he asked at J'honn's unchanging face, "Don't you ever get lonely?"

"More than you could imagine." J'honn replied.

Flash instantly felt like an insensitive jerk, face palming at his utter failure and his poor choice of words.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. "I didn't mean to…"

The entire watchtower was suddenly ablaze with activity. Alarms began blaring and red lights began flashing throughout the area. J'honn made a bee-line for the monitors, Flash hot on his heels.

"What's going on?" Flash called over the sirens.

"An Incursion." J'honn replied.

On the monitor, it showed a group of small objects headed straight for earth. Looking out the windows, both J'honn and Flash could see about three red and blue robots streaking past.

"More like an invasion!" Flash exclaimed.

"I will notify the others." J'honn declared, heading off to do just that.

…..

Within a few minutes, Flash, Hawkgirl, and J'honn were prepping the Javelin, the Justice League's main mode of space transportation. As Hawkgirl and J'honn began making preparations to take off, J'honn let out a sigh.

"Diana is on another assignment, Superman is dealing with an Earthquake, and Batman would only say that he is busy." He announced.

"Typical." Hawkgirl groaned.

"What about GL?" Flash questioned.

"He would not answer." J'honn replied.

"And Kari?" Flash added.

"At a doctor's appointment in Metropolis. From their trajectory, she will be out of harm's way for the time being." J'honn explained, though there was an obvious note of relief in his voice.

With no further need for words, the group took off towards the latest threat to mankind.

…..

John sat with Al in a local barber shop as Chris prepared to get his hair cut. Chris was barely holding still as he described the haircut that he desired.

"And real short, practically shaved here." He described, pointing to the back of his head. "But- But more on the top, like his."

His finger moved to where John was sitting, causing John to perk up from his brooding thoughts. Al chuckled at his grandson's antics as the barber turned to him for approval.

"The usual." Al told him.

Chris groaned as the barber got to work with his electric razor. John chuckled, then looked over at Al.

"Looks like you've got your hands full." He commented.

Al shrugged with a smile.

"He's smart, impatient, headstrong… Sort of remind me of you."

John's face fell again as he looked away.

"I hope not…" he muttered.

Al noted this, losing his smile as well. He put his hand on John's shoulder, gently turning him to face him.

"John, you still have friends here, man." He reminded him. "Real friends. What's bothering ya?"

John met his old teacher's eye, but remained silent.

…..

Not far from where John was, the three Manhunters descended into the street, forming a platoon and beginning their march. People saw them coming and ran for cover, cars swerving to avoid them. However, not everyone was willing to just let them go.

"Stop!" J'honn ordered.

The Manhunters ceased their march, looking up as J'honn, Hawkgirl, and Flash descended from the Javelin, the latter in Hawkgirl's arms. Once they landed, J'honn approached the robots.

"What is it that you want?" he asked, hoping for a diplomatic approach.

"John Stewart, the Green Lantern of Sector 2814." The head Manhunter replied.

"What for?" Flash questioned.

"That information is none of your concern." It replied.

Hawkgirl stepped forward, gripping her mace tightly.

"Wanna bet?" she snarled.

The Manhunter attempted to swipe her aside, but Hawkgirl easily ducked, powering up her mace for a retaliation strike. However, the Manhunter simply caught her arm, tossing her across the street as if she was nothing. Flash was gone in a blink, speeding over cars to try and catch her. He made it in the nick of time, catching her and making an immediate U-turn.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" he asked jokingly.

"Down boy." Hawkgirl replied with a teasing smile.

She took off into the air, the two of them making it back to the Manhunters. After Hawkgirl had been sent flying, J'honn attempted to tackle one of the robots. Unfortunately, his efforts were met with a shock stick to the gut. He fell to the ground, turning to the robot with an anger that looked practically demonic on the usually stone-faced Martian. The Manhunter that had attacked him extended his stock stick into a long staff, turning up the voltage to maximum power. J'honn attempted a second tackle, and was sent flying once more. This time, it was much farther, sending him through a window and into a small apartment.

With J'honn out of commission, the Manhunters resumed their march. Hawkgirl came up behind them, managing to catch them off guard and knock one of them off its feet with her mace. It recovered quickly as Hawkgirl attempted to do the same to it companions. Her mace was blocked by the extended stock stick and the two clashed. When she went to try again, the Manhunter blasted her in the stomach, sending her through a diner window and through the rear wall.

Flash looked at Hawkgirl through the broken window, then turned his attention to the Manhunters. He made to barrel right into them, but the head Manhunter merely held out his shock stick, clotheslining the speedster before he could make it much closer. He slid into a car, flopping onto the road.

Once more, the Manhunters resumed their march, leaving the heroes to pick themselves up off the ground. Flash rubbed his head as Hawkgirl came back through the window, brushing glass out of her feathers.

"Why do I feel like a hockey puck?" Flash mumbled.

Hawkgirl gritted her teeth, then took off once more. She caught up with the Manhunters easily, but was batted away without the robots even looking her direction. She landed hard on a car, and the Manhunter prepared to bring his shock stick down on her for a killing blow.

"Back off!" Superman's voice suddenly called out.

The Manhunter looked up to see Superman shooting towards him at triple digit speeds. Before it could even react, the Man of Steel had the robot embedded in the brick wall of a building. He went for a follow up punch, but was blasted in the back by the robot's two companions. However, unlike the other heroes, he didn't go down.

The other two Manhunters blasted Superman again, this time with a continuous stream of energy. Superman powered through it, slowly moving closer and closer to them. The robots amped up the power, but even that didn't slow him down. He got in close, then grabbed the stick, breaking off the mechanism that allowed it to manipulate the electricity. Now disarmed, the Manhunter attempted to physically grapple with Superman, only to find itself being thrown at its companion, who was just pulling itself from the brick wall.

Superman looked at the robots as Flash sped to his side.

"We thought you were busy with an earthquake." He commented.

"It was only a 4.0." Superman replied nonchalantly. "Now, mind telling me what's going on here?"

Flash shrugged.

"I wish I-"

The two were rudely interrupted by the third Manhunter blasting them in the back with his shock stick, from atop a car. It then powered up its staff to maximum, aiming at the dazed heroes. Thankfully, that's when J'honn made a reappearance, crashing into the Manhunter from above. The sheer force of the attack embedded the bot into the car and ignited the gas chamber, sending the entire car up in flames.

J'honn turned away, thinking his enemy vanquished. However, the Manhunter simply lifted the burning car, completely unhurt by the explosion, or the attack. Thankfully, Flash came to and saw what was about to happen.

"J'honn!" the speedster shouted.

J'honn turned in time to see the car flying his direction. Flash tackled him to safety as Superman went after the car, noticing its trajectory, a gas station. Unfortunately, he was unable to reach it in time and the burning car ignited the station, causing an explosion that shook half the neighborhood.

…..

Back at the barbershop, the explosion shook the building, causing everyone inside to panic. John, however, did not seem so surprised. Instead, he seemed to recognize the explosion, as if knowing what it signified.

"What in tarnation?" Al declared.

"Stay here!" John told him.

He then looked at his ring, hesitating for a moment before focusing. His civilian attire vanished, making way for his Green Lantern uniform. The patrons of the shop all gasped in amazement, and Chris began grinning widely.

"Grampa, you never said he was a superhero!" He declared.

John seemed to flinch at the word 'superhero', but didn't say a word as he exited the shop, making his way towards the source of the explosion. As he approached the large fire that had engulfed the gas station, he spotted the four heroes in what would soon be a deadly face-off between themselves and the Manhunters. Before they could charge at each other, he summoned a large wall of energy between the two groups.

"Enough!" he demanded.

The four heroes all looked up in surprise as Green Lantern descended from the sky, landing between the groups as he dispelled the wall. Flash couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

"Better late than never." He joked.

However, rather than join his friends in the fight, GL marched right up to the Manhunters, his posture that of a resigned man, or a condemned prisoner.

"John Stewart, Green Lantern of Sector 2814." The main Manhunter greeted.

"I am him." GL replied.

The Manhunter extended his hand, holding it out as if expecting something.

"Relinquish your ring." It ordered.

GL looked at his ring, then slid it off his finger. His uniform disappeared with it, returning his civilian attire. The glow in his eyes also faded, turning to a dark brown that was almost black. He placed the ring in the Manhunters' hand, then held out his wrists.

"John?" Superman gasped.

"What are you doing?" Flash asked confused.

"Stay out of this." John told them.

The Manhunters pulled out a large pair of handcuffs, attaching them to John's wrists.

"By order of the High Tribunal of Ajuris-5, you are under arrest for crimes against sentient lifeforms." The Manhunter declared.

All four of the heroes gasped as a large beam of yellow energy engulfed John and the Manhunters. John just closed his eyes, and even through the warped yellow light, his friends could make out a single tear rolling down his face. The energy then shot into the sky, taking its four passengers with it.

"What…?" Hawkgirl began, "What was that?"

"Crimes against sentient lifeforms?" Flash asked. "GL? There has to be some sort of mistake."

"You're right." Superman agreed. "And we're going to fix it. But first, we need to make a stop."

J'honn perked up, knowing what Superman was thinking.

"Are you sure that is wise, Superman." He asked.

The four made their way back to the Javelin as Superman smiled.

"If John's under arrest, then he's going to need a lawyer."

…..

The Manhunters' ship landed on Ajuris-5, the entire populous gathered around the landing pad. Many held signs that depicted the Green Lantern symbol, only ones that had been desecrated in some way. Others merely shouted angrily as the boarding ramp descended. As John came into view of the crowd, the shouts only became angrier, slews of alien curses and slander being shot his way. He didn't respond to any of it. Instead, he just followed his captors onto a moving platform that began to take him deeper into the city.

…..

Unbeknownst to John, or any of the denizens of Ajuris-5, the Guardian of Oa sat in their grand chambers, watching the procession with a mixture of worry, disappointed, and no small amount of fear.

"What do we do now?" One guardian asked.

"With any luck, this matter will not require our attention." A second one replied.

"And if it does?" A third questioned.

"I do not need to tell you how much we have gained from the core's diversity," the second told them, "But sometimes, it forces us to make sacrifices."

…..

As he was processed towards his fate, an alien threw a rotten fruit at him, hitting him in the face. Once more, John didn't react. He merely wiped his face and continued to stare straight ahead. He soon arrived at the steps of the High Tribunal court room steps, where he was escorted off the platform towards the door. Leaning against the door frame was a group of about five Green Lanterns, each of them viewing John with looks of pure hatred.

"He was the best of us." Galius Zed commented. "That's for sure, but now…"

John noticed his fellow Lanterns, pausing his profession to greet them.

"Galius, Arkkis, Kilowag… Good to see you."

"I wish I could say the same, Stewart." Arkkis remarked coldly.

Galius floated right up to Stewart's face, pointing at him angrily.

"You are a disgrace to the corps!" he declared.

John was taken aback by the sudden hostility of his former companions, though it was not entirely unexpected. Still, he turned away angrily.

"Get me out of here." He snapped at the Manhunters.

The Manhunters escorted him inside, one of them shoving Arkkis hard. He stumbled forward, rubbing his shoulder in pain and annoyance.

"Dumb robot." He swore.

The Manhunter stopped walking, turning back to Arkkis to retaliate. However, the head Manhunter stopped it.

"No." It told the other. "Not yet."

The Manhunter reluctantly turned away, following John and the other robots into the building. Once inside, he was led to a large holding area that contained several other aliens who awaited their trial. John was directed to a certain spot in the area, where he was made to wait. One of the Manhunters activated an energy field that surrounded John, connecting with the ceiling and sealing him inside.

"What's next?" he asked, though he had a good idea of what the answer was.

"Your trial begins soon." The Manhunter replied. "Had I been programmed with emotions, I might feel sorry for you."

The Manhunter walked off, leaving John alone. He looked out past the field, staring into the sky at a belt of asteroids adjacent to the planet. Looking at it, John sat on the ground, putting his head in his hands as sorrow and guilt racked his body.

…..

Kari rolled out of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, waving goodbye to Dr. Cooper.

"See you next month, doc!" she called.

"I look forward to it, Miss Miller." Dr. Cooper replied.

Kari made it halfway down the service ramp before a pair of green hands took hold of her chair's handles. She paused for a moment, then looked over her shoulder, smiling widely.

"J'honn!" she called happily. "What are you doing here?"

"I am afraid this is not a social visit." He informed her, lifting her and her chair up into the air.

Kari held onto the arms of her chair as J'honn pulled her into the Javelin. Once they were inside, Kari noticed the serious looks on everyone's faces.

"What happened?" she asked, now getting a bit worried.

"John's been arrested." Hawkgirl explained.

"What?!" Kari exclaimed, rolling closer to everyone. "By whom? And on what charge?"

"He was taken by some robots from outer space." Flash explained. "And some pretty tough ones that gave Supes a run for his money in the indestructible department."

Kari winced at that as J'honn secured her wheelchair to the floor of the ship.

"They said that John had committed crimes against sentient life." Hawkgirl added. "And that they had been sent by the High Tribunal of Ajuris-5."

"Ajuris-5?" Kari asked.

"Fifth planet in the Ajuris system." Superman clarified. "We're heading there now that we have you."

"Wait, me?" Kari questioned. "Superman, I may be a lawyer, and the JL representative, but I don't think I'm qualified to try and defend John in an alien courtroom. I don't know the laws, the proper proceedings, not to mention I'm not exactly dressed the part."

J'honn put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her ramblings.

"Have faith." He told her. "You will be fine."

Kari took a deep breath, then let it out.

"Okay then." She declared, "To Ajuris-5 then."

Superman took the controls, setting their destination for Ajuris-5, and their captive friend.

…..

The Javelin made good time making it to the planet. As they approached, Kari found her eyes drawn to the large asteroid belt adjacent the planet.

"Hey Superman." She called. "You said the planet we're going to is the fifth planet in the system, right?"

"That's right." He agreed. "Unlike our galaxy, planets of other star systems use the system's name, then a number depicting its place in the planetary alignment."

"Then… why is Ajuris-5 the fourth planet?" she questioned. "And why does that asteroid belt not feel right?"

The others looked out the window, finding themselves feeling the same way. However, before they could think any more on that, a shot rang out, blasting the side of the Javelin. Everyone was nearly thrown out of their seat as a small group of ships came around for another try, sending a few more shots their direction.

"Why are they shooting as us?" Kari questioned. "I don't think we've done anything to merit the attack?"

"They're not responding to our signal either!" Flash announced, his fingers moving at impossible speeds across the communication board.

A few more shots struck the Javelin, much to Hawkgirl's annoyance.

"It's clear what they want!" she snapped, powering on the ship's weapons systems. "I say we give it to them!"

"No!" Superman interrupted, grabbing her wrist to stop the process. "We're not here to start a war."

Hawkgirl pulled her arm back, rubbing her wrist as Superman got to his feet. J'honn followed suit and Hawkgirl trailed behind.

"Flash, take the controls." Superman ordered.

The other three heroes flew out of the Javelin, leaving Kari and Flash with the ship. Flash sped towards the controls, doing his best to control the ship. Outside, Superman went after one of the three ships. It attempted to shoot him, but Superman merely took its lasers out with his heat vision. Then, he grabbed onto the back of the ship, stabbing his feet into the engine to take the ship completely out of commission.

J'honn floated up to meet the second ship, turning himself intangible as it tried to take him out. As it barreled into him, he let himself be swept inside the ship, becoming tangible right in the center of the engine. He shot out of the ship, allowing it to power down and land.

The third ship was attempting to blast Hawkgirl out of the sky, but was finding the action much more difficult than originally believed. She led it on a wild goose chase across the sky, but when a stray shot singed some feathers on her wings, her temper flared up. She powered up her mace, swinging it down hard on the ship's engine. It exploded hard, the ship going down at alarming speeds.

"Hawkgirl!" Superman shouted.

"What?!" Hawkgirl shouted back.

Superman pointed at the fallen ship, then took off after it.

"Oh…" she muttered. "That."

Superman caught up with the ship relatively quickly, catching it before it could crash land into the planet. He pulled it into an open area, setting it down gently before hopping on top of the ship. Utilizing his super breath, he extinguished the fires before taking back off into the sky.

Up in the sky, Flash was struggling to keep the Javelin stable, pressing buttons at random and praying that something did what it was supposed to. He clipped buildings and other structures with alarming frequency, which only escalated his frantic button mashing.

"Flash, take the controls." He muttered, "Doesn't even bother to ask if I know how to fly this thing!"

"Flash! I do!" Kari called. "Let me-"

Within a blink, Kari was pulled from her wheelchair and plopped into the pilot's seat. She began pressing certain buttons, yanking the wheel up and leveling out the Javelin. Both she and Flash let out a sigh of relief

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"Batman's been giving me flying lessons." She informed him. "I'm still a bit rusty, but at least I know how to steer."

A landing strip appeared up ahead, and Kari prepared the landing gear.

"I will warn you though, I haven't exactly mastered landing yet." She admitted.

Flash immediately buckled in as the two braced for impact. She landed hard on the strip, skidding across the platform at high speeds, and nearly reaching the edge. They both closed their eyes, but thankfully, the ship came to a stop. The nose of the Javelin was hanging over the edge, but the rest of the ship was safely on the landing strip.

"Well…" Kari said, trying to look on the bright side. "They any landing you can walk away from is…"

She trailed off as both she and Flash looked out the windows and saw an entire platoon of alien soldiers surrounding the ship. With a gulp, Kari desperately tried to get the ship powered on again.

"Start it! Start it! Start it!" Flash exclaimed.

"I'm trying! I'm trying! I'm trying!" Kari shouted.

As the Javelin was bombarded by gunfire, Superman, Hawkgirl, and J'honn descended to aid their comrades. Superman grabbed a pair of soldiers and tossed them aside, using his heat vision to simultaneously destroy another's gun. A few attempted to tackle the Man of Steel, but were easily shaken off.

Both Flash and Kari noticed their friends' efforts and Kari ceased her attempts to restart the Javelin. Instead, the two watched as Hawkgirl batted several soldiers away with her mace and J'honn used his intangibility to make the soldiers shoot themselves. Soon, all the enemy soldiers were out cold and Flash returned Kari to her wheelchair.

The two descended from the ship, Kari rubbing the back of her head.

"I think I need more flying lessons." She admitted.

J'honn's eyes began to glow yellow as he scanned the planet for John. The glow faded and he turned towards a large building at the city's center.

"Green Lantern is close by." He informed them, pointing. "He is there."

…..

Inside the high tribunal, John Stewart looked up at the three judges, then at the Prosecutor giving his opening statement.

"There is no excuse for this horror." The prosecutor declared. "And there can be no escape from punishment. An example must be made!"

His statement was interrupted by the sound of a laser cutting through the large glass dome that encompassed the entire tribunal. A large hole was opened in the glass, allowing for Superman, Hawkgirl, J'honn, Flash, and Kari to enter. John saw them coming, and immediately groaned.

"No…" he muttered.

The group landed on the ground, surprised by the number of angry jeers that were thrown their direction, as well as the general set-up of the tribunal. As a few guards called out for order, Kari felt a bit more confident.

"It's a court room." Kari whispered. "Those masks must be the judges, and I'll bet that guy up there with John is the Prosecutor."

As if to prove her right, the middle mask called out an order.

"Remove the intruders!" He demanded.

A group of guards began making their way towards the group. Thinking fast, Kari immediately wheeled forward, holding out her hands in pacification.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. "We apologize for breaking the sanctity of this tribunal! We merely wish for the right to bear witness to the proceedings as acquaintances of the accused!"

The guards paused their pursuit, looking up at the masks for direction. The female mask looked over at her companions, seemingly in contemplation.

"This is a public trial." She admitted.

"Very well." The left mask relented. "You may take seats in the gallery."

"But this tribunal will not tolerate any further interruptions." The middle mask added.

"Thank you, your honor." Kari told them with a small bow.

A floating platform was lowered, allowing them to climb on to ride to the gallery. Once on, Kari couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe that worked." She muttered.

"I told you to have faith." J'honn told her, smiling.

They reached the gallery and took their seats, a section of the seating even lowering to make room for Kari's wheelchair. Once they were settled, the tribunal resumes.

"Are you ready to call your first witness?" The middle mask asked the Prosecutor.

"I am, My Lord." He declared. "I call Kanjar-Ro."

There was some surprised muttering as a bug-eyed alien in a strange blue garment came into the court room. As Kanjar-Ro approached the hover disk for the witness, a guard temporarily halted him.

"Kanjar-Ro," the guard said, "do you agree to let us probe and display any and all memories you have?"

"I've got nothing to hide." Kanjar-Ro replied curtly.

He stepped onto the platform, which pulled him up to where John and the Prosecutor awaited him.

"State your name and profession." The Prosecutor requested.

"Kanjar-Ro," he replied. "I'm… a pirate."

Kari's eyes narrowed at that.

"A pirate as a credible witness?" she questioned quietly. "What kind of joke is that?"

She wasn't the only one surprised. Even the Prosecutor seemed surprised.

"A criminal?" he asked. "Yet you come here to bear witness to another crime. Why?"

"I may steal things," Kanjar-Ro admitted before turning to John, "but it's nothing compared to what he did."

The heroes and Kari all exchanged glances, wonder what exactly was the crime that John was accused of, and how bad it was that a pirate felt the need to come forward as a witness. Up on the stand, the Prosecutor activated a field that surrounded Kanjar-Ro, enveloping the pirate in a holographic light. He seemed to flinch at first, but became still as the Prosecutor began his questions.

"Tell us about your encounter with John Stewart." He ordered.

"It all started with these blaster I… found." Kanjar-Ro began, the light around him forming a holographic image of his memories. "I was on my way to sell them to some rebels on Ajuris-4. That's when he showed up. I figured he was going to stop me, so I shot first. His ring tore out my engine and I crashed onto Ajuris-4's moon. But still, he wasn't done with me. He wanted to know if I was working for anyone. I told him to turn around and see for himself. He tried to shoot my friends, but his beam bounced off their reflector shield and shot towards Ajuris-4. There, it hit a volcanic fault line, starting a devastating chain reaction…"

On the hologram, it showed the entire planet exploding with alarming force, reducing the planet to rubble. Many of the members of the audience were visibly shaken by the account, and Kari felt like she was about to throw up. J'honn put a hand on her back in an attempt to comfort her.

"Three billion…" Kanjar-Ro continued, the hologram fading away. "That's how many were on that planet."

There was some indistinct chattering amongst the audience as the Prosecutor looked away.

"I have no more questions." He told the judges.

"This account is most disturbing." The middle mask declared, "We will recess. 20 petacycles."

The masks faded off the screen as the Prosecutor and Kanjar-Ro took their leave. The heroes and Kari immediately went to go talk to John as the audience cleared out of the tribunal.

"Now I get it." Flash told him. "You wanted to clear your name. That's why you didn't put up a fight back on Earth."

"I told you all to stay out of this!" John exclaimed angrily.

"I don't know what kind of sham this trial is." Kari interrupted. "Back home, a criminal like Kanjar-Ro would never be considered a credible witness. There's not a doubt in my mind that he's lying through his teeth."

"Give me five minutes alone with him, and I'll get the truth out of him." Hawkgirl declared.

"Kari, Hawkgirl, Flash… All of you!" John shouted, getting their attention before his voice dropped in volume. "Listen to me… Nobody's lying."

He looked up at the large asteroid belt next to the planet. Everyone followed his gaze to it, a sinking feeling gathering collectively in their stomachs.

"Do you see that?" he asked. "I did it. I'm guilty."

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone tried to process John's admission of guilt. He was then led out by a group of guards, leaving the others alone with their thoughts Then, Kari interjected, voicing everyone's opinion.

"No way." She snapped. "There's no way John is capable of something like this."

"Three billion gone." Flash repeated. "I can't believe it."

"Neither can I." Superman agreed. "I'm going to take a closer look at what happened."

"Why?" Hawkgirl questioned. "John admits he's guilty. Nobody's disputing the facts."

"Maybe I am." Superman retorted. "J'honn, I need you to come with me. Kari, I'll need you to buy us some time in court."

"You can count on me, Superman." Kari told him.

Superman gave a nod, then turned to the others.

"Flash, Hawkgirl, I need you to keep an eye on her."

"Will do." Flash promised.

…..

Flash and J'honn made their way to the landing platform, boarding the Javelin. As they did, Kanjar-Ro watched them go, eyeing them with suspicion.

"So, what do you expect to find on this moon?" J'honn questioned.

"I don't know." Superman admitted. "There's something bothering me. Just call it a-"

"An intuition?" J'honn interrupted.

Superman smiled.

"Exactly."

The two took off in the Javelin as Kanjar-Ro made his way back into the city to relay what he had just heard.

…..

Back with the tribunal, the recess had ended and everyone was reconvened. John stood before the judges as the middle mask addressed him.

"John Stewart, you may now question your accuser." He declared.

"No questions." John replied, surprising everybody.

"None?" the female mask asked. "Do you not intend to defend yourself?"

"No." John replied, looking down. "I don't."

Unable to take much more of this, Kari slammed her fist on the arm of her wheelchair.

"Objection!" she cried. "You call this a trial? It's a farce!"

Both Hawkgirl and Flash looked over at her as if she'd gone mad.

"What are you doing?" Hawkgirl demanded.

"My job." Kari replied before turning her attention back to the judges.

"Removed her!" The middle judge ordered.

Before any of the guards could retaliate, Flash took hold of Kari's chair, zipping her out of the gallery and onto the main floor. He gave her a thumbs up, then returned to his seat.

"Listen to me." Kari insisted. "With a crime of this magnitude, it is important that both sides of the story is heard."

"Kari, how many times do I have to tell you guys to stay out of this?!" John practically shouted.

"Just because you're willing to let yourself go down, doesn't mean I'm just going to stand by and let it happen." Kari argued.

A pair of guards came up behind her, physically pulling her from her chair. Before they could drag her off, however, the female mask spoke up.

"Wait." She requested. "This being may have a point. We do not want any lingering doubts about our final judgement, do we?"

"Of course not." The left most mask agreed. "But who would speak for John Stewart?"

"I would." Kari replied as the guards returned her to her chair. "I'm a lawyer after all."

"We solved our lawyer problem a long time ago." The middle mask snapped.

"However," the female mask interjected, cutting off her companion's protests, "if you wish to defend John Stewart, then you are welcome to try."

"But know this," The leftmost warned her, "If you lose, you will share the same fate as the accused."

Flash immediately jumped to his feet.

"The same fate?!" he exclaimed. "That's crazy!"

"No, that's how we solved our layer problem." The middle mask retorted.

"I'll take that risk." Kari declared.

The entire gallery gasped in surprise, and John looked at her with a pleading expression.

"Kari, don't do this!" he begged.

"John, I am the Justice League's legal representative. This is my job." She told him. "More than that, you're my friend. And I am not going to just sit back and let you play martyr."

A platform was lowered for her, one similar to the one the prosecutor was using, and she rolled herself onto it. Hooks came out of it, latching onto the wheels of her chair as she was pulled up to face the judges. Taking a deep breath, Kari began.

"Citizens of the Ajuris system." She proclaimed. "I know that everyone in this tribunal has suffered a serious loss with the destruction of Ajuris-4, and the loss of the three billion lives who called the planet home. I also know that everyone here has come to seek justice for this atrocity, but that is not what is happening here. While John Stewart did have a part to play in the unfortunate destruction of the planet, his intentions were never malicious. John is a hero, not just of my planet, but for countless other planets within his sector. He has been willing to lay down his life for the protection of others, and even now is willing to admit to his mistakes. He is no genocidal criminal that needs to be eliminated. He is a man who was just trying to do his job."

As Kari's speech continued, Hawkgirl noticed that a row of seats just below her were now empty. She stood up, looking at the door to see the five Green Lanterns who had been watching the proceedings now taking their leave.

"You stay and keep an eye on her." She told Flash. "I've got to do something."

"Do what you need to." Flash told her. "I think Kari's got this part covered."

…..

Hawkgirl tracked the Green lanterns to a nearby alien pub, where the five of them seemed to be gathered solemnly and drinking Galius ordered another round as Hawkgirl came closer.

"Why aren't you at the trial?" she asked angrily.

"We couldn't stand it anymore." Galius sneered.

"John Stewart's made us all look bad." Arkkis added, chugging down his drink.

"And that little brat honestly thinks she can defend him." Tomar Re huffed. "She's wasting her time, and her life."

Hawkgirl crossed her arms, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"So much for the vaunted loyalty of the Lantern Corps." She snarled.

"Oh don't get so high and mighty, lady." Galius replied. "If you're smart, you'll stay away from him too."

"Otherwise, you'll end up reeking of his stench yourself." Arkkis concluded.

Unable to take anymore, Hawkgirl brought her mace down on the center of their table, surprising all of the lanterns and several of the patrons of the bar.

"Cowards!" she screamed at them.

She brought her mace up, preparing to bring it down on Arkkis' head. He managed to bring up an energy shield in time to block the blow, but was forced to remain in a defense position as Hawkgirl continued her assault. She had managed to knock him out of his seat and into Galius before getting interrupted by the owner of the pub.

"My friends!" he cried, coming in between Hawkgirl and the lanterns. "Please! No weapons! No weapons!"

"You think I need this mace to take you down?" she taunted.

With a deft toss, she sent the mace flying across the pub, embedding it in a support column with a mighty crash. The owner scurried to get out of the way as the Lanterns lowered their ring hands and powered down their shields. Hawkgirl made a come-at-me motion with her finger, one that Arkkis immediately charged at her for. He took a swing at her, but missed, leaving an opening for her to uppercut him across the jaw. She followed with a punched to the gut, and a left hook across the face. Finally, she uppercutted him again, sending him flying into the table he had just been sitting at.

Kilowag sipped at his drink as Tomar Re, Galius, and Larvox all charged at Hawkgirl. Galius bounced like a ball onto her, and was batted away just like one. This gave Tomar Re a chance to pin Hawkgirl to the ground, where he was kicked off after only a second. He hid a neon sign and went sliding to the ground behind the bar. Larvox didn't fare much better. He didn't even land a hit before he was lifted off the ground and thrown into the recovering Tomar Re.

Galius made a second attempt to attack Hawkgirl, but she simply ducked, which put him on a collision course with the window. Thankfully, Kilowag caught him before he could go flying through it. However, he wasn't able to catch Arkkis after his second failed attempt to stop Hawkgirl. Arkkis ended up crashing through the window and out onto the street.

Both Galius and Kilowag looked at the large hole in the window, then back at Hawkgirl, who was wiping the floor with Tomar Re and Larvox. Galius tried for a third go at it, but a single punch from Hawkgirl had him playing pinball in the rafters before flopping onto a crowded table, their food ending up all over his uniform. Arkkis, who had climbed back through the hole he'd created, came close to tackling Hawkgirl, but a wall of green energy came up, separating the two before the fight could continue.

"No more." Kilowag declared, taking down the wall. "Hawkgirl's right. John Stewart's one of us. And I'm gonna help him."

Hawkgirl watched him go, a triumphant smile on her face. She recovered her mace, then took off after the large Green Lantern. However, before he made it very far, something caught her eye. It was Kanjar-Ro, and he seemed to be in a heated discussion with a Manhunter. Her eyes narrowed as she landed on a nearby building, a hunch beginning to form.

…..

"-And that's why I ask you, all of you, to see past your desire for vengeance, and your need to see someone suffer for this heinous act. Look at see the real John Stewart, a hero who deserves a second chance."

Kari took a deep breath after finishing her speech, looking back at Flash, who gave her a thumbs up. However, the Prosecutor's next words slightly diminished her confidence.

"Those were some pretty powerful words." He told her. "But what proof do you have of the validity of what you have said? A character witness? An alternate account of the crime."

Kari hesitated, until someone began making their way towards the stand.

"Out of my way!" Kilowag demanded.

He flew right up to Kari, giving her a smile. She took it, then turned back to the masks.

"As a matter of fact, I do have a character witness." She announced, "I call Green Lantern…."

"Kilowag." Kilowag supplied quietly.

"Green Lantern Kilowag to the stand." Kari finished.

"But, he was nowhere near the crime scene!" The prosecutor argued. "What kind of witness can he be?"

Kilowag snarled at the Prosecutor as Kari grinned.

"A big, scary one." She replied.

…..

On the moon of Ajuris-4, J'honn and Superman examined the surrounding asteroid field. As they walked, Superman kept looking down at the ground, finally figuring out what didn't feel right about this whole scenario.

"See anything wrong with this picture?" Superman asked.

"Where do I begin?" J'honn answered. "The loss of life, the echoes of our own pasts…"

"No, not up there." Superman interrupted, pointing down at the ground. "Down here."

J'honn looked down, and that's when it dawned on him.

"It can't be." He gasped.

"But it is." Superman replied. "This moon is still orbiting a planet that no longer exists. It should have flown off into space the moment the planet was destroyed."

"The only way for it to remain in its current orbit is if…" J'honn began.

"If the planet was never destroyed." Superman concluded.

…..

Kilowag was in the middle of telling the tribunal one of the many stories about how John had saved his life during his time as a Green Lantern.

"The Nethorians would have gotten me for sure if it hadn't been for John Stewart." He explained. "He saved my life, and risked his own to do it. That's the kind of guy he is."

Kari steered her platform over to Kilowag, smiling gratefully.

"Thank you, Kilowag." She told him. "I couldn't have asked for a better character witness, and neither could John."

She then turned to the Prosecutor with a smile.

"Your turn." She told him.

The Prosecutor cleared his throat, then addressed Kilowag.

"Kilowag, can you tell me exactly what a Green Lantern does?" he asked.

"Oh that's easy." Kilowag replied. "We catch bad guys."

"Commendable." The Prosecutor allowed, a small smile playing on his face. "But how do you know who the bad guys are?"

Kilowag stumbled for a bit at the question.

"How? Uh… I just know."

"Oh, so you're saying you use your obviously superior intellect to routinely sort out matters of life and death?"

"I didn't say, I mean, well… yeah… Kind of."

"And then you and the other Green Lanterns enforce these decisions with those incredibly deadly rings of yours."

"Well, I guess you could put it that way."

Kari felt her confidence falling again as the case slipped through her fingers. The Prosecutor's next question only cemented that feeling.

"Who said you could do this?" he asked, no, demanded. "Who gave you the right?!"

"We did." An elderly man's voice called out.

Everyone turned to see a group of five blue-skinned men surrounded by a halo of green energy enter a tribunal. John's eyes widened at the sight, and Kilowag gasped audibly.

"The Guardians…" he whispered.

"Who?" Kari asked.

"The creators of the Green Lantern Corps." Kilowag explained. "If they're here… then we're really in trouble."

…..

Superman flew across the surface of the moon, trying to find something that might explain what was really going on. So far, all he was seeing was a bunch of rock and a lot of craters.

"J'honn, I hope you're doing better than I am." He said over the comm link.

" _Well, I have found something_." J'honn replied. " _But I am not sure what._ "

Superman came to J'honn's position, and was amazed to see that an entire crater was taken up by an incredibly large piece of machinery. It was easily as tall as the Daily Planet building, and equally as wide. Staring up at it, Superman found himself wondering what it was.

"Any idea what this thing does?" he asked.

"Back on Mars, my daughter had a small toy called an illusitron." J'honn replied. "It could display crude images onto any surface, even empty space."

"And you think this is a bigger version of one?" Superman questioned.

"The engineering principles appear to be the same." J'honn answered. "And it would explain why this moon's orbit has not decayed."

"Because the planet's still there, it's just covered by an illusion." Superman realized. "But who-?"

Before he could finish his question, a laser shot struck J'honn in the back, then Superman as well. They both fell, looking up to see Kanjar-Ro coming towards them with weapons primed. However, rather than shoot the two of them again, he aimed for the walls of the crater, bury them both in the stone.

Chuckling at his success, Kanjar-Ro failed to notice Hawkgirl coming up behind him in a borrowed Ajuris-5 fighter. She blasted his ship out of the sky, forcing it towards the moon. Meanwhile, Superman and J'honn pulled themselves from the rubble, neither of them worse for wear. When Superman spotted Kanjar-Ro's falling ship, he sped forward, shooting through the bottom of the ship and grabbing the pirate, dragging him towards the large machine and depositing him on the ground.

"It would seem that both Kari and Hawkgirl were right about this one." J'honn commented.

Hawkgirl landed her ship, coming out to meet her friends.

"I followed him here from Ajuris-5." She explained. "I had to- uh- Borrow one of the defense force's fighters."

"So he'd the ones behind all this." Superman said angrily.

"Not exactly." Hawkgirl clarified.

…..

On Ajuris-5, in the building that served as the Manhunters' storage center, the head robot was addressing his companions.

"It is time, brothers." He declared. "Time to avenge a thousand years of grievances. Time to regain our power and dignity."

His declaration was met with a chorus of cheers from the Manhunters, all of whom were eager for the same thing.

"Our plan has worked flawlessly so far." The head bot continued. "We've sown dissention amongst the Lantern Corp and stained their reputation forever. But beyond that, we've succeeded in luring the leaders of our most hated enemy away from their home planet of Oa."

If he had been programmed with emotions, the Manhunter would probably have been smiling.

"Yes. They're here. The guardians!"

"Destroy them!" The Manhunters all shouted, activating their shock sticks. "Destroy them all!"

"No my brothers!" The head one interrupted. "Not here, not now. Our destiny lies elsewhere. But rest assured, the Guardians will burn! For we are the Manhunters!"

"No man escape the Manhunters!" They all cheered.

…..

One of the five Guardians that had come to represent Oa approached the stand, awaiting Kari's questions. She cleared her throat, then began.

"Guardian, when a Green Lantern is chosen, what characteristics do you look for in potential candidates?" she asked.

"The rings seek out individuals who have the courage to stand up for what they believe is right, the compassion to aid those in need, and a willingness to put others' lives before their own." The Guardian explained.

"And when John Stewart was chosen, was there ever any doubt that he matched these criteria?" she continued.

"Never for a moment." The Guardian replied. "Many worlds owe their lives to John Stewart, and had we chosen another, there is little doubt in my mind that many incidences would have ended very differently than they had with him wielding that ring."

Kari smiled.

"No more questions, your honor."

The Prosecutor approached the Guardian, picking his next words carefully.

"Tell me, is it true that the Guardians control the Lantern Corps?" he asked.

"That is a half-truth." The Guardian replied. "While we may control the Corp's power source, the individual Lanterns have complete autonomy."

"So, if one of them does something wrong, it's not your fault." The Prosecutor inferred.

"You misunderstand." The Guardian attempted to clarify. "We give them autonomy because we trust their experience and-"

"No other questions!" The Prosecutor interrupted loudly.

The Guardian seemed distressed, then resigned as he lowered his platform to join his brethren. Kari watched him go, her heart sinking into her stomach.

"How much more must we hear?" The Prosecutor demanded. "We demand an immediate judgement!"

Kari winced as the judges made their final statement.

"Having heard all the facts, we will now consider." The middle mask declared.

The masks faded as Kari looked over at John.

"I did everything I could." She told him solemnly, realizing their chances weren't very good.

"I wish you hadn't." John replied, not even looking at her.

Before Kari could come up with a reply, the masks reappeared, further lowering Kari's hopes for a not guilty verdict.

"It's never good when they don't take long to deliberate." She muttered to herself.

"The facts are clear." The middle mask declared. "John Stewart is guilty."

Kari looked down, pounding the arm of her chair in anger as the audience let out a gasp of obvious relief. Flash rose from his seat, ready to move at a moment's notice.

"Do you have any final statements before we pass sentence?" The female mask asked.

John was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"No."

"Very well." The leftmost mask said. "The sentence is termination, for you, and your advocate."

"I object!" Flash shouted.

"Overruled!" all of the judges shouted back at once.

The floor of the tribunal chambers began to bubble, revealing a white dome that began to rise from the floor. It opened up as a set of guards surrounded John and Kari. Two of them grabbed Kari by her arms, pulling her from her chair and dragging her towards the dome. John simply followed along. Flash rushed to the front, trying desperately to intervene.

"Hang on!" he shouted. "Time out! I want an appeal!"

John turned to Flash with a wave of downright fury.

"Will you show some dignity for once in your life?!" he screamed.

A pair of guards held Flash back as John and Kari approached the dome.

"You're just gonna let them do this?!" he exclaimed. "They're going to kill you, and Kari!"

"I knew the risk when I agreed to this, Flash." Kari told him. "And if I have to die because I refuse to believe my friend is guilty, then so be it."

"We lost Flash, and now we face the consequences." John explained. "Think about the others like us. Think of Superman! We all need to be held accountable. We have too much power not to be."

They reached the dome and John walked in. Kari was unceremoniously thrown in. Flash continued to struggle, but received a shock stick to the back for his efforts. The dome began to close as Kari sat up as best she could.

"Mom… Dad…" she whispered. "I'll see you soon."

Outside, the guards activated a panel on the outside of the dome, powering it on. The guardians all lowered their heads and Flash reached out futilely.

"No!"

Inside the dome, jets of brown gas were released into the area, instantly bringing on a coughing fit from the two prisoners. Outside the dome, everybody was so focused on the execution that they didn't notice Superman and J'honn crashing through the recently patched hole, Kanjar-Ro under J'honn's arm.

"Supes! J'honn!" Flash called, pointing at the dome. "Kari and John are in there!"

Superman shot towards the dome, tossing aside the guards that attempted to stop him. He punched through the dome, tearing through the thick metal like it was made of paper, his eyes locking on the unmoving forms of his friends. He pulled them both out, J'honn immediately taking Kari as Superman began to remove John's shackles. Kari began coughing, regaining consciousness as John did the same. She smiled up at J'honn weakly.

"Cutting it kinda close there…" she whispered.

"How dare you!" The middle judge exclaimed.

Superman turned on the Judges, coming between the screen and his two recovering friends.

"John's innocent!" he exclaimed. "And we can prove it!"

…..

Back on the moon, Hawkgirl heard Superman's proclamation, and smiled.

"That's my cue." She declared.

Powering on her mace, she couldn't help but feel a bit giddy.

"Been wanting to do this all day."

She smashed her mace against the large illusitron, causing a large section of it to explode. This caused a chain reaction that shot up the sides of the machine, a trail of explosions slowly reducing the machine into a large pile of busted parts. To aid in the process, the various impacts of the explosions weakened the crater walls, bringing the entire section of rock onto the remaining machinery.

Above the moon, the asteroid belt shimmered and became static until it faded away all together, revealing an unharmed Ajuris-4.

…..

Everyone in the tribunal was standing in shock, looking up at Ajuris-4 in utter shock. Many members of the Gallery were honestly crying and the guards were backing away from the heroes. Kari looked at the planet, then over at John, who was staring at the sky in complete and utter amazement.

"I knew you couldn't do it." She told him.

"John Stewart didn't destroy Ajuris-4!" Superman explained. "It was all an illusion. An elaborate set-up to frame John and the Green Lantern Corps!"

John turned away from the sky, only to lock onto Kanjar-Ro, who was trying desperately to crawl away.

"You!" he shrieked.

He leapt from the platform, tackling Kanjar-Ro to the ground. He grabbed the pirate by the front of his clothes, his eyes practically burning with rage.

"Why did you do this to me?!" he demanded.

Kanjar-Ro wisely decided to tell the truth rather than attempt to deny anything.

"F-for money." He explained.

"Whose money?!" John practically screamed.

"T-the Manhunters…" The pirate stammered.

Everybody gasped at Kanjar-Ro's admission, then John looked up to search for the Manhunters. He wasn't too surprised to see that there weren't any of the robots in sight. However, he was surprised to see the Guardians taking their leave of the tribunal, obviously with a purpose. His eyes narrowed as he dropped Kanjar-Ro, looking back at Superman, J'honn, Flash, and Kari.

"Let's go." John said coldly.

They all got up to leave, J'honn carrying Kari, but she stopped him.

"Hang on." She requested.

Knowing what she wanted, J'honn turned her to face the judges and the prosecutor.

"I need my chair back, please." She told them.

The platform with her chair was lowered down, allowing J'honn to place her on it. Once she was adjusted, she looked back up.

"And John's ring." She added.

The prosecutor looked at her, then pressed a button on his stand. A small pedestal floated towards her, John's ring sitting on it. Kari snagged it, then turned to J'honn.

"We better catch up." She told him.

He took hold of her chair, then flew her out of the tribunal.

…..

At the Manhunters' storage unit, the Guardians looked around frantically, visibly upset by the great lack of robots in the facility.

"We are too late." One of the Guardians lamented, "We have to go back immediately."

As they turned to leave, Flash zipped into their path, blocking the door.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

The five floated past Flash, not even acknowledging his question. However, they were stop again by Superman.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"We do not have time for this." The same guardian explained.

They moved to go around Superman, but stopped when John stepped into their path.

"Make time." He told them. "Now where are the Manhunters?"

The Guardians looked at each other, then seemed to come to a decision.

"They are heading back to Oa." The Guardian responded.

"Back to Oa?" John repeated. "They've been there before?"

"Yes…" The Guardian hesitated a moment, then continued. "We created them there."

"Say what?!" Kari exclaimed, she and J'honn finally catching up to the group. "You built those tin soldiers?"

"It was before the Lantern Corps." The Guardian explained. "We thought robots would make good peacekeepers, but they were flawed. They couldn't understand the subtle gradations between good and evil."

"They couldn't see the grays amongst the black and white." Kari mused.

"Exactly." The Guardian agreed. "That is why we had them reprogrammed for lesser duties such as tracking, hunting, or guarding. They did not seem to object."

"Not out loud, anyway." John retorted.

Kari rolled forward.

"Odds are, this was their plan all along. Lure you guys here so Oa wouldn't be defended. If that's the case, then we need to get to Oa fast."

"Agreed." Superman nodded.

The Guardians turned to follow Superman and Flash. John went to join them, but Kari caught his arm.

"Hang on." She insisted.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out his ring, much to his surprise.

"You're going to need this." She said with a smile.

The ring began to glow, floating out of her hand and towards John. It slipped onto his finger, returning the green glow to his eyes and transforming his civilian clothes back into his Green Lantern uniform. Kari lightly punched him on the arm, unable to keep the big grin off her face.

"Now go show those walking scrap heaps what happens when they mess with the Justice League."

…..

On Oa, the Manhunters were launching a full scale invasion of the planet. Hundreds upon hundreds of Manhunters flew in from all across the galaxies, all of them eager for their long awaited revenge. On the planet's surface, all available Lanterns were doing their best to defend their second home. Many were manning large cannons, blasting the robots from the sky as best they could.

Inside their citadel, the guardians that had remained behind on Oa were using all of their power to create a shield around themselves, and the Corp's power battery. Unfortunately, without all of them present, the Guardians were slowly losing power and strength, something that did not go unnoticed by the Manhunters.

"Do not let up, my brothers!" The lead Manhunter declared. "They are weakening!"

The robots began to double their assault, many focusing their attacks on the larger cannons in attempts to destroy them. One Manhunter even managed to get his hands on one of the larger cannons, reprogramming it to serve the Manhunters.

"Tear this planet apart!" The Lead Manhunter ordered. "Rip it, and the Guardians to pieces!"

That's when the bot spotted something approaching the planet. It was a large bubble of green energy, containing the other five Guardians, as well as the Justice League. John released the bubble, allowing for everyone to descend onto Oa's surface.

"They cannot stop us!" The lead Manhunter insisted. "No one can"

At that time, a consecutive group of laser blasts were fired towards the Manhunters, turning a few into scrap. The lead hunter turned just in time to see and Ajuris-5 fighter swooping down for an attack, Kari behind the wheel.

"Eat laser, tin cans!" she shouted before jamming her thumbs on the firing buttons.

Using Kari's attack as cover, Superman shot forward, punching his way through several Manhunters at once. Flash did the same on the ground, leaving a trail of explosions and dismantled bots in his path. A group managed to surround him for a moment, but were instantly skewered by a curving bolt of green energy.

"Got your back!" GL called to Flash.

Flash gave a salute, then noticed about five Manhunters attempting an ambush.

"Behind you!" he shouted.

GL turned just in time to see them, summoning a blast of energy to take out the head one. A few shots from Kari's fighter eliminated the other two. The lead Manhunter watched this, trying to figure out a strategy. Finally, it had one.

"The gun!" it shouted, "Use the gun!"

The Manhunter that had hijacked one of Oa's large turret guns took aim at the heroes. Thankfully, GL saw it coming in time and put up a shield. The blast was huge, destroying a fair-sized section of the battlefield, save for where GL's ring had been shielding. Flash, who had been clear of the blast zone, followed the trajectory of the blast towards the hijacked gun.

"Kari!" he called into his communicator. "Think you can take it down?"

Kari smiled.

"Watch me!" she told him. "But I'll need someone to clear a path!"

"I am on it." J'honn replied.

He flew up towards the turret, becoming intangible to avoid the wave of attacks aimed at him by the Manhunters. Flash also drew their attention, zigging and zagging in an erratic pattern, much to the detriment of the Manhunter attempting to shoot him. It was so focused on the two heroes that it didn't notice Kari's fighter zooming in.

"Peek-a-boo." She chuckled.

She slammed her fingers down, reducing the turret to scrap metal. She punched the air in elation.

"Boo ya!" she exclaimed.

Unfortunately, that's when a Manhunter jumped onto the front of the fighter, punching through the windshield and pulling her from her seat. She was tossed unceremoniously from the craft, screaming the entire way. However, before she could hit the ground, a cocoon of green energy suddenly surrounded her, though GL was nowhere near her location.

"Careful, kid." Kilowag told her. "I don't think you can fly like us."

"Kilowag!" Kari exclaimed.

The large lantern smirked, then the other lanterns that had been on Ajuris-5 came from behind him, joining in the fight. With them was Hawkgirl, who looked more than a little bit pleased with herself.

"You came!" Kari cheered.

"Your friend is quite persuasive." Arkkis admitted.

J'honn appeared beside Kilowag, the latter depositing Kari into the Martian's arms. He then rejoined his fellow Green lanterns, issuing orders.

"You three take the north tower." He declared. "Galius and I will take the south."

The Lanterns broke off, using their rings to impede the progress of the Manhunters in any way. Hawkgirl joined them, smashing robot after robot with her mace.

…..

Unfortunately, even with the combined efforts of the heroes, the Guardians were still failing, and a few even succumbed to unconsciousness. With their mental barrier weakened, the Guardians were unable to prevent the head Manhunter from breaching it, making its way towards the main power battery. It blasted the door to the chamber open, then entered.

Outside, John could sense something going on inside the citadel. Trusting his teammates to handle the problem outside, he made his way towards the large column of green light that always emanated from the power battery. Through the hole the head Manhunter had created, John entered the citadel, trying to find the source of the disturbance. Unfortunately, he failed to see the head Manhunter sneak up behind him. With a single blast, John was brought to his knees.

John forced himself back to his feet, looking up in horror to see the Manhunter making a bee-line for the battery.

"Manhunter, stop!" John ordered.

When it failed to comply, John trapped it in a bubble of energy.

"I said stop!" he snapped.

"Not until we have regained what is rightfully ours!" The Manhunter retorted.

"Yours?" John questioned.

"The power that the Guardians stole from us!" The Manhunter exclaimed.

Before John could ask any more questions, the Manhunter stabbed the sides of the bubble with its shock stick, creating a large hole and allowing it to escape. John flew up to meet it, preparing an attack with everything he had. The Manhunter did the same, crackling electricity clashing with green energy.

"It was never yours!" John shouted. "It was always the Guardians'!"

"And they betrayed us!" The Manhunter argued. "Just as they betrayed you!"

The Manhunters' attack began to penetrate John's energy, the end of the shock stick nearly impaling him in the stomach. The Manhunter held him up like a skewered fish, continuing its taunts.

"This power is our destiny!" he exclaimed before tossing John aside.

John collided hard with a wall as the Manhunter entered the power battery. Almost immediately, its robotic body began to absorb the power, its entire form sparking with untapped potential.

"NO!" John screamed.

Lances of green lightning began to spark out of the battery, striking John, as well as the other Lanterns scattered about the planet. Even the Guardians fell victim to it. From her perch on J'honn's back, Kari watched in horror.

"What's happening?" She questioned.

"I wish I knew." J'honn replied.

Inside the battery, the Manhunter shed its metal shell, becoming a pulsating being of green energy. It began to grow and grow as it leeched the power from all across Oa.

"Now I am the power!" it declared, launching into the air above the planet.

The green lightning pulled away from Joh, his ring drained of power and his uniform gone, his civilian clothes visible once more. The others suffered a similar fate, their powers gone and their everyday attire replacing their uniforms. The Guardians got the worse of it, the loss of their infinite powers causing them to age before John's eyes.

The sight of the Guardians brought so low struck a nerve in John. He struggled to his feet, approaching the battery with his ring hand held out.

"In brightest day!" he proclaimed. "In blackest night! No evil shall escape my sight!"

John's ring began to glow as the energy of the transformed Manhunter began to gather inside. His uniform returned, and he began glowing brighter than ever before. Then, much to everyone's surprise, the monstrous Manhunter began to melt, contorting in size until all of it was contained in John's ring. By now, every fiber of John's being felt like it was on fire, but he didn't dare falter.

"Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power! Green Lantern's LIGHT!"

In perhaps the brightest display of light the cosmos had ever seen, John released the energy back into the lantern, the essence of the Manhunter purged from it once and for all. The battery returned to life, sending out a shockwave that utterly destroyed the Manhunters, and returned the stolen energy to its proper owners. The other Lanterns all rose to their feet, smiling at the pillar of energy that returned to its rightful spot.

"Way to go, John." Kari said quietly.

…..

The remains of the Manhunters were gathered up and disposed of, none of the Lanterns, or the Guardians wanting a repeat of this horrid misadventure. When the clean-up efforts were complete, the Guardians pulled John aside, all of them sharing a grateful smile.

"We chose wisely when we offered you the ring."

John didn't comment. Instead, he made his way to where his friends were waiting. Before he made it, he spotted the five lanterns from his trial talking to Hawkgirl.

"You're some fighter, lady." Galius told her.

"Though we already knew that." Arkkis choked, rubbing his jaw.

The Lanterns all chuckled good-naturedly as John came forward. The Lanterns all approached, all of them accept Kilowag looking more than a little remorseful.

"Nice job in there, John." Kilowag told him, throwing an arm around his shoulder.

John smirked at the gesture, then he turned to the others as his smile vanished. Galius let out an uncomfortable cough before he spoke.

"I guess we were wrong about you, John." He admitted. "We should have known better."

John looked past the Lanterns to where his friends were waiting.

"Yeah." He agreed. "You should have."

He walked past them, approaching his friends. He met eyes with Kari, his smile returning.

"Thank you." He told her before looking at the others. "All of you. You believed in me, even when I didn't."

"You're our friend, John." Kari told him. "We stick together. No matter what."

John nodded in agreement, then surrounded them all in a cocoon of green energy.

"Let's go home." He announced.

The bubble took off into the sky as the exhausted leaguers made for Earth.


	4. The Enemy Below

Hundreds of miles below the ocean's surface, the USS Defiant, a sub for the United States Navy was going about its nightly patrol. It had been a relatively peaceful night with the most coming up on radar being a few fish and a shark or two. However, as they came around a large reef, the radar began to pick up something that was most definitely not a fish.

"Sir, I've got an unidentified craft closing in on our location!" One of the men called out. "Bearing 0 1 0."

The captain came over, peering at the radar inquisitively. The chances of running into a craft at the depth they were at was incredibly slim, and the chances of it being friendly were even slimmer.

"Try to establish radio contact." The captain ordered.

The radioman flipped a few switches, attempting to get a response from whatever this vessel was. However, all they got back was static.

"They're not responding." He replied. "Not on any of the frequencies."

"Well whatever it is, it's big and it's closing in fast." The man at the radar declared.

The Captain felt a single bead of sweat trickle down his brow as he swallowed hard.

"Evasive maneuvers!" He ordered. "Planes down 20 degrees!"

The two men in charge of steered brought the sub down, taking it deeper into a large trench that ran beneath them. As they descended, an underwater craft unlike any that had been seen before began to close in on the sub. Before any of the men inside the Defiant could react or brace themselves, the craft rammed into them, jarring them so hard that the power flickered and sparks flew. Soon, it all went out together, forcing the sub to go into emergency mode.

"Damage report!" The captain demanded, standing up from where he had been thrown.

"We lost the starboard rudder sir!" One of the men replied.

"Sir, hostile craft is turning!" The radar man exclaimed. "It's making another run!"

The Captain scrambled for the radio, contacting the hangar bay.

"Prepare the torpedo tubes!" He demanded.

"There's no time!" The Radar man interrupted.

The craft crashed into the Defiant once again, the bottom of the craft wrenching a hole in the tail of the sub. Water began pouring through the hole as the crew scrambled to avoid the sudden deluge of water, and the certain doom that it meant. Back on the deck, the radio man was sending out a distress signal on all frequencies.

"This is the USS Defiant!" he exclaimed into the radio. "We are under attack and have sustained heavy damage! We are going down! Repeat! We are going down!"

In the enemy craft, a group of men in arcane, yet technologically advanced armor watched as the submarine sank deeper into the trench. The one at the scope gave off an evil smirk as he turned to the leader of the vessel.

"The surface dweller's ship has been disabled." He reported.

The leader of the vessel, a warrior in gold colored armor with long blonde hair and a beard gave a small nod of approval, his grip tightening on a golden trident in his hand.

"Good." He declared. "Let it sink."

…..

Not long after the SOS went out, the Javelin came flying through a brewing storm above the ocean's surface. Inside were Wonder Woman, Superman, J'honn, GL, and Kari, who was manning the wheel.

"This is Justice League to USS Defiant. We're on our way." Kari called into the radio. "I repeat, The Justice League is on its way"

"Sorry to cut your flying lesson short." Superman told her.

"You kidding?" Kari asked, putting the radio away. "I've been wanting to test the Javelin's aquatic features since I learned they were there!"

J'honn chuckled slightly at that as Kari flipped a few switches on the console, pointing the nose towards the water. As they pierced the surface, GL looked at Kari with a slightly worried look.

"Superman, are you sure it's wise to bring her along on this mission?" he questioned.

"We don't have time to turn around John." Superman argued. "Besides, this is a simple rescue mission. Go in, find the sub, and get it out."

"And what about the enemy it was facing that caused it to go down in the first place?" GL argued.

Suddenly, the Javelin's radar picked up an incoming signal, one not from the Defiant. Wonder Woman, who was at the radar, quickly took a look.

"There's something big coming up on our rear flank." She called out. "And it's aiming weapons at us!"

"Kari, evasive maneuvers!" Superman ordered.

"On it!" she replied.

She veered hard to the right, just narrowly avoiding two shots blasted by the large, unidentified ship. Kari gripped the wheel hard, then brought the javelin down into the trench the Defiant had sunk into. She was forced to swerve a few more times, just narrowly avoiding more shots, as well as the walls of the trench. Focusing, she saw a sea arch much too small for the vessel to pass through, but with more than enough room for the javelin.

"Everyone hold on!" Kari warned.

She pushed the javelin into overdrive, shooting through the arch. When the vessel attempted to go after her, it failed miserably, getting stuck instead.

"Lost them." Kari said with a smirk.

"Not quite." GL interjected, pointing through the windshield. "Look!"

Two more ships, just like the first one, rose up to meet the javelin, forcing Kari to dodge twice as much fire power as last time. As she weaved past one of the ships, Superman undid his seatbelt, opening a panel above him. From it, he pulled a set of three respirators, placing one over his face.

"Diana, Kari, put these on." he ordered.

Wonder Woman took the respirator, sliding it over her face. J'honn took Kari's, placing it on her since she was a bit busy steering.

"What are you thinking?" GL wondered.

"That if we don't get those sailors out of that submarine soon, they'll drown." he replied.

Everyone nodded, undoing their seatbelt. Kari then noticed a missile coming right at them.

"Take cover!" she screamed.

The missile struck the Javelin, completely reducing it to scrap metal and sending the pieces floating down to the bottom of the trench. Thankfully, as the thick cloud of bubbles parted ways, the five occupants of the Javelin emerged unscathed, thanks to the timely usage of GL's shield. He dropped the shield, allowing everyone to scatter and begin dealing with the enemy. However, he kept Kari close, depositing her behind a reef.

"Stay here." he ordered.

Kari went to protest, but he swam off before she could. She clutched the side of the reef, watching the battle with great interest. The two ships, upon realizing that the five had survived, began to open fire once more. Superman dodged easily, GL summoned another shield, Diana brought up her bracelets to deflect the fire, and J'honn merely turned intangible. Superman then flew up to one of the ships, tackling the turret hard enough to warp the metal. He then tore it free all together, allowing a flood of water to fill the ship.

GL preferred a more direct approach to the ship. Focusing hard, he send a beam of energy straight through the ship, piercing it like a spear before carving through the metal. Once he'd made a big enough dent, Diana landed on top of the ship, positioning herself on one side of it. J'honn quickly got on the opposite side of the second ship, the two heroes sharing a nod.

"On my mark!" Diana called. "Now!"

They then pushed as hard as they could, the metal crumbling beneath them as they forced the two ships to collide with one another. The crews inside were forced to evacuate, swimming for their lives out of the wreckage before they were blown to pieces. From her hiding spot on the reef, Kari couldn't help but smirk.

"Yes!" she cheered.

Her levity was short lived as about five more ships suddenly descended upon the group of four heroes. However, there were also several smaller ships with them, and a few gliders as well. They surrounded the group as a single glider came close. The rider was a figure that was all too familiar to both Superman and Kari.

"Aquaman..." Kari whispered.

"You will all cease this attack and surrender!" Aquaman declared, pointing his trident at the group.

"You're the one who attacked us!" GL shouted. "If anyone should be surrendering, it's you for assaulting a naval submarine!"

"They violated the sovereign borders of Atlantis." Aquaman replied, his voice showing little emotion outside of anger. "I was merely doing what I promised Superman I would do should my home be threatened again."

Realizing the fight was over and negotiations were beginning, Kari pushed herself out from behind the reef, grateful that her upper body strength allowed her to swim despite the inability to use her legs. She swam herself right in between the group and Aquaman, much to GL's annoyance.

"Kari, I told you to stay put!" He snapped.

J'honn placed a hand on GL's shoulder in a calming gesture, then ushered for Kari to speak. Aquaman glared at her.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Kari Miller. I'm the legal representative of the Justice League."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"Probably not." Kari admitted, then she quickly got back to the matter at hand. "Look, I get that you were just trying to protect your home, but we were just trying to rescue the crewmen of that downed submarine."

She pointed to the Defiant, her heart palpitating a bit at the stream of bubbles emitting from the hole in the hull. Aquaman looked over at it and scoffed.

"They were warned of the consequences of their actions." He told her. "They should have stayed on the surface where they belong."

"Please Aquaman..." Kari practically begged. "The men onboard will drown if we don't act quickly. What will it take for you to let us save them?"

Aquaman met her gaze, then glanced back at the submarine.

"If you wish to save the surface dwellers, be my guest." he eventually decided. "But the vessel remains where it is."

"No way!" GL exclaimed, pulling himself free of J'honn's grip and pushing past Kari. "That is a nuclear sub! If you think we're just going to walk away and leave it-"

"Lantern!" Kari shouted, cutting him off.

He glared at her as she readjusted herself.

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do, but right now this is the best offer we've got." She rationalized.

"She's right." Superman agreed. "Time's running out."

…..

GL's ring created a large circular structure that branched down to the submarine. From the branch, Wonder woman and J'honn pulled the crew out of the ship and into the safety of GL's construct.

"That's the last of them." Wonder woman declared, holding the captain in her arms.

GL retracted the branch, then pulled the structure up to the surface of the waves. Superman and Wonder Woman flew up with the remains of the Javelin so it could be repaired later, and J'honn took hold of Kari, pulling her out of the waves. Aquaman watched them go, then he and a few of his soldiers followed them to insure that they left the ocean.

As they all broke the surface, GL, Wonder Woman and Superman flew off, but J'honn lingered behind with Kari for a few minutes.

"Aquaman." Kari called.

Aquaman looked up at Kari as J'honn moved her closer.

"All this could have been avoided." she told him.

"How?" he asked, skepticism lacing his words.

"There's a world assembly being held in a few days." she replied. "You can come and air your grievances there, and maybe this conflict can come to a peaceful resolution."

Aquaman scoffed at the idea.

"You'd have me crawl to them like some beggar."

"No." Kari insisted. "I'd have you stand before them as a King."

With nothing left to say, J'honn flew Kari after the rest of the group, leaving Aquaman and his troops to vanish beneath the waves once more.

…..

Down in Atlantis, Aquaman sat on his throne, contemplating Kari's words. After his last encounter with the surface dwellers had ended up with him being imprisoned, he was hesitant to place his trust in them. However, he also remembered the one called Lois and how she had willingly helped to right the wrongs the others had done.

As he contemplated this, his brother Orm came in.

"Brother, General Brak has set up a security patrol around the surface dweller's vessel." he explained. "Should anything attempt to come after it, we will know."

"Good." Aquaman told him. "Make sure it is left untouched. It could be a useful bargaining chip against the surface dwellers."

Orm raised an eyebrow to that.

"Bargaining chip?" he asked. "Are you honestly contemplating what that girl said?"

"I am considering my options." Aquaman clarified.

"Brother, with all due respect, the surface dwellers are barbarians. They sail their weapons across our seas, pollute our waters with their garbage, and have no respect for our people."

"I am very well aware of that, Orm." Aquaman told him. "However, I am also aware that declaring war on the surface would risk the lives of many innocent Atlanteans, and I refuse to have that on my conscience."

Orm hesitated, then bowed.

"Of course." he said after a minute.

As Orm took his leave of the throne room, a red haired woman entered. In her arms, she carried a small baby swaddled in a red cloth. She approached the throne, walking beside it.

"Arthur..." she said softly.

Aquaman looked up, his grim demeanor fading into a smile as he stood.

"Mera." he greeted, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

The baby in her arms cooed and gurgled, taking hold of some of Aquaman's long blonde hair. He chuckled when he felt the baby pulling on the strands.

"He's got a strong grip." he commented, taking the baby and running his hand lovingly across his face.

"He takes after his father." Mera replied with a small smile.

The baby yawned widely, snuggling against his father's chest as Aquaman wrapped the cloth around him tighter. He then followed Mera out of the throne room to the large bedroom the three of them shared. He gently placed his son in an ornate cradle, looking down upon the innocent lad. His cheerful demeanor fell somewhat as the events of the day came back to him.

"Look at him..." he said wistfully. "So peaceful… so innocent..."

Mera came up beside him, placing a hand on his arm once more.

"I want so badly for him to grow up in a world where he will never need to know fear of the surface dwellers." he commented. "But, I fear that peace with them is nearly impossible."

"But it is achievable." Mera reminded him, taking his hand in hers. "You told me of the woman who attempted to help you, and of the hero Superman who saved Atlantis from the surface dwellers' weapons. If kind people like them exist, then there is a chance for peace."

Aquaman looked into her eyes, the caressed her face.

"I hope you're right Mera."

…..

Up in the watchtower, Kari had been on the phone for hours on end in a heated debate with General Wells. When she finally got off the phone, she seemed emotionally drained.

"Well, I think it goes without saying that Wells is pissed that the Defiant is in the hands of Aquaman." she commented. "Now I need to get to the World Assembly so I can assure several irate world leaders that it was the right thing to do."

J'honn took the handles of her chair, turning her towards the elevator.

"I will accompany you." he told her.

She let out a grateful sigh as the two left, leaving the other three heroes behind. GL crossed his arms, his face hard.

"The General has every right to be pissed." he commented. "We never should have left that sub in the hands of that lunatic."

"Aquaman is a King," Wonder Woman argued, "one who was simply trying to protect his home and preserve his kind."

"But who's gonna protect us from him?" GL argued right back.

"John, I've met Aquaman before." Superman said. "He's not a bad person. He just has the lives of his people and his kingdom on his shoulders."

"It is not an easy burden to bear." Diana added.

GL snorted, then walked off.

…..

At the crash site of the USS Defiant, Aquaman's forces had the ship surrounded. Their vessels scanned the water for any possible attempts to reclaim the sub. However, even with the vigilance of the troops, they were unable to keep an eye on the entire ocean, a weakness Green Lantern exploited. He swam through the murky waters of the ocean, making sure to keep himself out of sight.

"The agreement was that the sub stayed." He muttered to himself. "Never said anything about the plutonium inside."

Emerging from his hiding spot, GL used a passing ship as cover to move closer to the sub while remaining out of sight. After a few minutes, he reached the Defiant and managed to slip through the hole in the hull. Using his ring as a flashlight, he began scanning the sub for the plutonium. Much to his dismay, and ever increasing anger, his scan came up negative.

"Gone…" he muttered.

…..

At a beach near the edge of Metropolis, a group of surfers sat on their boards, enjoying the calm sunny day as they waited for the waves. As they sat and gossiped, a figure began to emerge from the water, drawing the attention of all the people lazing about on the beach. The figure, none other than Aquaman himself, made his way onto dry land, heading straight for town. Everyone watched him go, everyone instinctively getting out of his way as he passed them on his path towards the city.

…..

Green Lantern returned to the Watchtower pissed beyond all reason. He stomped around the Watchtower, practically fuming.

"I knew we couldn't trust that fish man!" he exclaimed. "The sub's been stripped and the plutonium is gone!"

"Don't be so hasty John." Wonder Woman warned him. "Are you sure Aquaman's responsible?"

"Who else could do it?" GL shot back. "We've got to go back to Atlantis and get some straight answers."

Superman was about to reply, but before he could, the Watchtower's communication system went off. He answered it as GL and Diana joined him. On the screen, J'honn appeared with Kari in the background. Though the Martian's face was as passive as normal, Kari looked both nervous and uncomfortable.

"Aquaman has come to the World Assembly." J'honn informed them.

"Then that saves us the trouble of going looking for him." GL noted.

Kari turned towards the screen, looking a bit pale.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, GL." She told him. "He's demanding that the leaders remove any and all ships and submarines from the oceans, as well as cease any intrusion and pollution of the oceans."

"He is a very poor diplomat." J'honn agreed. "I fear that if you do not come soon, this peaceful assembly will become volatile."

"We're on our way." Superman declared.

…

To say that the World Assembly was chaotic was an understatement. Almost every leader in the room was shouting in outrage, shaking their fists, or both. The mediator was trying desperately to maintain order, and after a few minutes, he succeeded.

"Order everyone!" the mediator shouted. "One at a time!"

The French ambassador rose to his feet, pointing right at Aquaman.

"First you sink a nuclear submarine, and then you threaten us to make peace!" The ambassador listed off. "Who gave you the right?!"

"I am the born ruler of Atlantis." Aquaman replied, his voice even and hard.

"A country we do not even recognize." The French Ambassador snapped.

Aquaman's fists clenched, and from the back row where she and J'honn were seated, Kari watched nervously, afraid a physical brawl was about to break out. However, Aquaman quickly composed himself, crossing his arms and glaring at the Assembly as a whole.

"You've heard my terms." He declared. "Refuse them at your own risk."

Before things could escalate, Kari spoke up.

"Aquaman, please." She begged.

He glanced up at her as J'honn picked her up by her chair, moving her over to the stage. Once J'honn set her down, she looked Aquaman in the eye.

"While I understand why you've issued the demands you have, it's simply not practical for us to follow through with them." She tried to explain. "The world defense system, as well as most of our global economy requires the use of water transportation and more."

"You are the one who told me to come here and 'air my grievances'." Aquaman reminded her, leaning down so he was practically towering over her. "I have done just that, and if you and your kind continues to intrude on the sovereign waters of Atlantis, I will take action."

Kari flinched at the idea and all of the ambassadors resumed their angered shouts and protests. This time, the mediator was not able to reestablish peace. However, the timely arrival of Superman, Wonder Woman, and GL quickly returned silence to the room.

"Aquaman!" Superman shouted at he flew through the doors.

"Save your words, Superman." Aquaman dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I offered them a chance, and this was their answer."

"Please, you must understand." Superman tried anyway. "Negotiations like these take time and compromise."

"I've wasted enough time as it is." Aquaman scoffed, walking right past him.

Wonder Woman attempted to stop his egress, but was unceremoniously shoved aside. GL caught her before she could fully topple over, giving the retreating King a hard glare.

"A real prince charming, that one." He growled.

…

Aquaman emerged from the World Assembly Hall, and almost immediately, he was besieged by an army of reporters. Despite their best attempts to get any answers out of him, he remained impassive and cold. Shoving past them, he continued onward, determined to return to the ocean.

Unbeknownst to the retreating King, a figure perched on a nearby building watched him leave. The figure then aimed a missile launcher right at him, letting loose a high powered rocket. The rocket landed right at Aquaman's feet, exploding with enough force to send him flying across the sidewalk. Hearing the commotion, the Justice league quickly exited the building, Kari gasping in horror at what she saw.

"No…" she let out.

Aquaman was on the ground, severe burns all across his body and blood pouring from various wounds. He tried to get to his feet, but all of his strength left him. Superman was by his side in an instant, scooping up the unconscious King.

"We need to get him out of here." Superman declared.

"Metropolis General is the closest hospital." Kari chirped quickly.

"Then we best hurry." Wonder Woman announced.

With a nod, Superman took off first, the rest of the league following after him with J'honn carrying Kari's chair.

…

News of the attack soon reached Atlantis, much to everyone's horror. General Brak, having just watched the reports, quickly ran to Orm. Aquaman's brother was sitting in a chair, his head in his hands as he General recounted what the news had said.

"There is no full report on your brother's condition." Brak informed him. "The humans believe his injuries were critical… and possibly fatal."

Orm's hands clenched into fists, which he in turn slammed onto the arms of his chair.

"I warned him about the savagery of the surface dwellers…" He muttered. "Why would they do this?"

"I do not know, Lord Orm." Brak replied honestly. "However, with the King possibly dead and the prince still an infant… Atlantis looks to you for leadership."

Orm looked up in surprise. It was only not that he noticed that Brak was carrying Aquaman's crown, as well as his trident. Standing, Orm slowly took these from him, then hesitantly placed the crown on his head, gripping the trident tightly.

"We cannot allow this treacherous act to go unpunished." Orm declared. "Gather all of your men so we can avenge this outrage. In the meantime, I must inform Mera of what has transpired."

The General bowed, then turned to do what he had been ordered. As he did this, Orm left the room as well, venturing into Aquaman's room. Mera was on the bed, rocking her son as silent tears rolled down her face. When she saw Orm wearing her husband's crown, her breath hitched.

"So it is true…" she cried. "Arthur…"

"Your husband's fate is still unknown to us, but things do not look good." Orm admitted, sitting and cradling her gently. "I can only pray that he will return."

She hiccupped again, then held her son closer as she cried, Orm continuing his best efforts to console her.

…

In Metropolis General Hospital, doctors were trying to do whatever they could to help Aquaman. Unfortunately, his Atlantean physiology was making that nearly impossible. They couldn't even get an IV line in due to his thick skin. The doctors were slowly beginning to lose hope as the heartrate monitor showed his vitals steadily dropping.

Out in the waiting room, the five JL members sat and waited. When the head doctor came out of the operating room, Kari wheeled herself over.

"How is he?" she asked.

"It's impossible to tell." The doctor admitted. "He's unlike any human I've ever worked on, and I'm honestly clueless as to how to help him."

"Please, you have to try." Superman pleaded.

"I don't know if I can…" the doctor let out.

"Then let me try."

Everyone turned in shock to see Batman emerging from a shadowed doorway. He had some papers in his hands and a determined look on his face.

…

The doctors moved Aquaman to a recovery room where a saline water tank had been set up by Batman. After connecting a new heartrate monitor to the fallen King, Superman deposited him into the tank. Almost immediately upon being submerged, Aquaman's vital signs began to stabilize, much to the doctors' collective relief.

"Make sure to maintain saline at 3.5%." Batman instructed, handing over the papers he'd brought with him.

The doctor skimmed through the papers as Kari rolled over to Batman.

"How did you know that would work, Bats?" she questioned.

"He's a fish out of water." Batman answered, glancing up at Aquaman. "Saltwater."

"So now what?" GL asked bluntly.

"Now, we wait." J'honn replied.

…

A few hours passed, and soon, Aquaman regained consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes to see the five heroes and Kari all waiting for him. Kari was the first to notice him waking up and turned herself to face him.

"Your Highness." She greeted. "How do you feel?"

Aquaman quickly pulled himself out of the tank, touching down in front of her before pulling the wires off of his chest.

"I'll live." He replied curtly.

"Good." GL declared, marching right up to Aquaman with a pissed off look. "Now you can tell us what you did with the plutonium!"

"Plutonium?" Aquaman repeated, obviously confused.

"From the submarine!" GL snapped. "You stole it!"

"My orders were to leave that vessel where it lay." Aquaman explained. "It is why I had it guarded in the first place."

"And you expect us to believe that?" GL growled.

Batman pulled GL back.

"Easy there." Bats cautioned. "The submarine isn't our top priority right now."

"Batman's right." Wonder Woman agreed. "Someone just tried to kill you, Aquaman."

"Indeed, and I intent to find out who." Aquaman declared.

He prepared to walk out of the room, but J'honn slowly flew into his path, stopping him.

"Allow us to help you." He insisted.

"I have a plan to draw out the assassin." Batman declared. "However, you'll have to trust me for it to work."

Aquaman turned back to Batman, giving him an inquisitive stare.

…

Dozens of news crews were gathered around the hospital's doors, waiting for Aquaman. The sun had set low in the sky as word reached the ears of Snapper Carr.

"Here at Metropolis General, we've just gotten word that Aquaman is about to be moved." Snapper reported. "The Justice League will be escorting him to an unnamed research facility for further treatment."

Across from the hospital, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman had all taken positions on nearby rooftops, keeping an eye on the hospital doors.

"I hope this plan of yours works, Batman." Wonder Woman said over comms.

"Just keep your eyes open." Batman told her.

"Here he comes." Superman noted.

The doors to the hospital opened as Aquaman was wheeled out on a hospital bed. While the two doctors moved him towards the Ambulance on standby, a manhole cover was lifted in an alleyway not too far away. Emerging from beneath it was the figure that had tried to kill Aquaman previously. He was armed with a small rocket launcher, which he readied from behind a mailbox. As he was about to fire it, Wonder Woman caught sight of him.

"There!" She called out.

Seeing him, Batman took out a batarang and threw it at the assailant's weapon, causing him to aim down and blast at the ground. The explosion caught the attention of everyone. Forcing the would-be killer to flee. Batman and Superman gave chase as he retreated back to the sewers. Superman went to grab the manhole in order to lift it up, only to end up getting electrocuted by a well-placed booby trap. He was forced back by the power of the trap, smoke drifting off his chest.

Back in front of the hospital, Batman swooped down in order to check on Aquaman, who was up and helping the doctors back up.

"You alright?" Batman asked.

Aquaman began to shift, revealing himself to be J'honn in disguise.

"Perfectly." He answered.

…

Down in the sewers, the assassin shed his disguise, revealing himself to be the infamous Deadshot. He then straddle his motorcycle and started it up, ready to make his getaway.

Back up topside, Batman and J'honn found Superman out cold on the ground, smoke still rising from his chest. J'honn noted the sewer entrance, making himself intangible so he could phase through the ground. He appeared in the tunnel, right as Deadshot zipped right through him, literally. J'honn watched him go, then turned to his comms.

"Diana." he called through it. "He's heading towards you."

…

On the rooftops, Wonder Woman jumped off of one of the buildings. She flipped in the air and punched the ground hard enough to crack the street. The sewers began to crumble around Deadshot, forcing him to floor the gas. He dodged and weaved to avoid falling debris.

Her debris trap failing, Wonder Woman went for a more direct approach. She ripped off a storm grate, jumping down into the sewers. She landed right in front of Deadshot, who was forced to bring his motorcycle to a halt.

"End of the road." She informed him.

"I'll take a detour." Deadshot quipped.

He lifted his arm, firing a wrist-mounted missile at the ceiling right above Wonder Woman. The resulting explosion caused a collapse in the ceiling, allowing debris to fall on top of her. He then turned the bike around and sped off in the opposite direction. She freed herself easily, watching him disappear angrily.

…

In the hospital, Aquaman sat impatiently on the couch in the waiting room. He stood up, having had enough, and began walking towards the door. GL quickly intercepted him.

"Where do you think you're going, your highness?" GL asked him coldly.

"This is taking too long." Aquaman threw back. "I must return to Atlantis."

Kari rolled herself over to Aquaman, looking sympathetic.

"I know you must be worried about your people, but Batman's plan will work." she assured him. "Just give it more time."

"Translation, sit down, shut up, and let us do our job." GL snapped.

Kari gave GL a pointed look. Aquaman just let out a sigh and turned around before heel turning and socking GL on the jaw, knocking him out.

"You presume too much." Aquaman remarked.

Kari gasped as GL fell, then Aquaman turned to her. Before she could react, he grabbed her by her shirt, lifting her clear out of her chair and carrying her over to one of the couches. He dropped her unceremoniously onto it, then wordlessly left the room.

...

Deadshot continued his escape efforts, rounding a corner only to run right into Batman. The dark knight used his grapnel to hoist himself into one of the upper tunnels as Deadshot's motorcycle went flying across a minefield of small explosives Bats had left out. Contact with the explosives caused the bike to flip over and send Deadshot flying. He landed hard in the stagnant water as he motorcycle went up in flames.

As Deadshot got to his feet, Batman lowered himself back into the tunnels, approaching the assassin.

"Don't move." Bats ordered.

In response, Deadshot twisted around, lobbing a smoke bomb at the Dark Knight. He missed, causing it to hit the wall behind him. However, it provided enough of a distraction for Deadshot to escape. After running down an adjacent tunnel, he emerged from a manhole cover right underneath his getaway van. Once inside, he got into the driver seat and hit the gas, speeding off.

Unbeknownst to him, Superman had recovered from the shock he'd received, and quickly located Deadshot's getaway van. Wasting no time, the Man of Steel flew after it. Deadshot attempted to lose him in traffic, but Superman put an end to that plan by melting one of the tires with his heat vision. The van swerved out of control, then rolled across the street before coming to a halt. The engine exploded, rendering the van useless as Superman approached. He pulled a groaning Deadshot out of the driver's seat, pulling him out to the safety of the street.

"Okay..." the assassin let out, lifting his hands in surrender. "Okay, I give up."

"You tried to kill Aquaman." Superman accused. "Why?"

"Gee, why would a hired gun try to kill someone?" Deadshot asked sarcastically. "Could it be that someone hired me?"

"Who?" Diana questioned as she landed next to Superman, J'honn and Batman in tow. "Tell us who paid you."

"Sorry baby, can't tell you that. Professional courtesy" Deadshot explained before taking a good, long look at Wonder Woman. "But then again… if you make it worth my while-"

He never got to finish the sentence. Batman's hand came down on his shoulder as he pulled the assassin from Superman's grip.

"I'll take it from here." He insisted, pulling the now very nervous Deadshot off to the side.

"I ain't afraid of you, Batman." Deadshot bluffed.

"Let me give you one word of advice." Batman told him.

His words were inaudible to all but Deadshot. However, whatever he said seemed to do the trick.

"Okay!" Deadshot exclaimed. "I'll tell! I'll tell!"

Wonder Woman walked over to Superman, eying Batman curiously.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"You don't wanna know." Superman told her.

Batman brought Deadshot back over to the others so he could tell them everything.

"Who hired you?" Batman asked.

"I don't know." Deadshot answered. "I don't ask questions."

"Not good enough!" Batman snapped. "How were you paid?"

"In gold." Deadshot told him, gesturing to his overturned van that now had what could only be described as pirate treasure pouring out of it. "See?"

Batman went over to the chest and picked up one of the coins.

"Spanish doubloons." Batman deduced.

"Where would someone get coins like this?" Diana questioned.

"They are not a common currency in this day and age." J'honn remarked.

"These coins have salt residue on them." Batman noted, seeing a white, crusty film on his glove. "This could only be the result of prolonged exposure to salt water."

"Then they're from Atlantis." Diana deduced.

"An Atlantean attempted to kill Aquaman, and make it appear as though the humans were responsible." J'honn added.

"Then we've got to warn Aquaman." Superman declared.

"Too late." GL called out.

Everyone turned as GL arrived with Kari in tow.

"Aquaman punched GL out and split." Kari explained. "He's going down to Atlantis as we speak."

"Hera help him." Diana let out.

…

Down in Atlantis, Orm stood before the armies of Atlantis, knocking the butt end of his trident against the ground to gather their attention.

"My friends," He addressed. "Now is the time for action. Now is the time for mighty Atlantis to rise up and strike terror into the hearts of its enemies! Are you with me?!"

The soldiers all cheered, raising their weapons high. Then, a voice called out from the doors of the main hall.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Aquaman demanded, throwing the doors open.

"Brother!" Orm said in shock. "Why I thought you were-"

"Dead?" Aquaman finished. "That's no reason to plunge Atlantis into a foolhardy war!"

"The humans tried to kill you!" Orm argued. "Not once, but twice! Surely that is enough reason for you, brother!"

"I have told you before, going to war with the humans is a risk I am not willing to take." Aquaman replied.

"Perhaps you lack the guts to do what is necessary, but I don't." Orm declared.

"Enough!" Aquaman shouted. "I will hear no more of this. Guards, arrest the traitor!"

Orm just gave a sly smile as the guards remained motionless.

"You heard him." Orm told them.

The guards then aimed their spears at Aquaman, much to his surprise.

"What?" he let out.

"You are the traitor, Arthur." Orm snarled. "You abandoned your people, sold them out to the surface dwellers. Look around you. I'm in charge now."

Aquaman looked up at his brother in confusion and anger.

"For years I've stood in your shadow and watched as you led Atlantis to the brink of ruin." Orm monologued. "Well no more. Generals, you know what to do."

"Yes, my King." General Brak declared before turning to Aquaman. "This is a fight we should have waged years ago, but you betrayed us when you sided with the surface dwellers over your own people."

Having heard enough, Aquaman tossed two of the guards aside and punched out a third before running straight at Orm. His brother merely aimed his trident right at him, striking him with lightning straight in the chest.

"Take him away." Orm ordered.

The soldiers dragged Aquaman away.

"General Brak, ready your troops at once." he continued.

"Yes, your Highness." Brak replied with a proper bow.

With that, Brak and the rest of the men left the room. Not long after they disappeared through the doors, Mera came rushing into the room with a desperate look on her face.

"Orm!" she called out. "They said that Arthur had returned! Is he here?!"

"No, I'm afraid." Orm told her. "Just unfounded rumors brought about by near vain hope."

Mera visibly saddened, clutching herself as tears ran down her face.

"I've tried to be strong..." she sobbed. "But without him… I nearly lost him once before, and now I've lost him again."

Orm placed his hands on Mera's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

"Don't worry Mera, I promise to take care of you." He reassured. "You… and your son."

"My son?" Mera repeated.

"With war upon us, I could not bear to risk the life of my brother's only heir." Orm explained. "I had him taken into protective custody."

Mera gasped, pulling herself from Orm's grasp and running towards her room. She grabbed onto the crib, gasping in horror as she found her baby missing.

"Where is he?" Mera demanded. "Where have you taken my son?!"

"I assure you, he is in the best care." Orm promised her. "For his safety, and your own, his location must remain secret."

Mera lowered her head in sorrow, but Orm's hand placed on her chin brought it back up.

"I know this must be hard for you," Orm consoled. "But I assure you I only want what is best for Atlantis and its people.'

He then walked off, leaving a distraught Mera to ponder his words.

…

Kari piloted the Javelin through the ocean waters, the Justice League right beside her. She flipped a few switches on the console, glancing over at the radar.

"We're getting close." she announced. "Atlantis isn't too far ahead."

"Don't expect them to welcome us with open arms." GL remarked.

"All we need is to warn Aquaman." Superman declared. "We do that, then we get out before we cause any more trouble."

"Too late." J'honn declared, pointing out the window. "They've spotted us!"

Just outside the Javelin, a whole army of Atlantean speeders closed in on the Justice League, flanking a ginormous ship that was at least ten times the size of the Javelin. Kari winced at the sheer number.

"I don't like our odds." she remarked.

"If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they're gonna get!" GL declared, powering up and about to head out.

"Wait!" Superman insisted. "We came here to talk, so that's what we're gonna do. Kari, grab a mask. You got through to Aquaman before."

J'honn handed her one, much to GL's annoyance.

"You sure bringing her out there is a good idea?" GL asked. "If these guys aren't in a listening mood, things could get ugly."

"Tensions between Atlantis and the surface are high as is." Superman reminded him. "We have to at least try."

"Let's get out there." Kari declared.

She landed the Javelin, then the group exited the ship, swimming out into the center of the ships.

"Please, hold your fire!" Kari begged. "We bear no ill will unto Atlantis, and merely seek an audience with Aquaman!"

"How shall we respond general?" One of the soldiers in the ship asked.

"...Destroy them." The general ordered.

The speeders then started firing on the league, much to their surprise.

"There's your answer." GL told them, creating a shield with his ring.

Diana, J'honn and Superman swam out from behind the shield as Kari took cover behind a reef.

Superman dodged an incoming missile as he knocked one Atlantean off his speeder before taking out another just as quickly.

J'honn saw a speeder coming straight for him and turned intangible so that it would just pass through him. The Atlantean was shocked, and in his distracted state, he ended up plowing right into a sea arch, dismounting himself.

Another speeder shot at Diana, but she gracefully swam to avoid the shots. Those she didn't dodge were deflected by her bracelets. She then pushed off of one of the sea arches, double punching her attacker off his speeder. Unfortunately, three more were coming right for her.

"Behind you!" GL shouted, summoning a shield just in time.

The three speeders collided right into the shields, exploding on impact and sending their riders flying.

"Thanks." Diana replied before the two swam off to deal with more attackers.

One of the speeders managed to find Kari's hiding place, its rider grinning.

"You can't hide from me, surface dweller!" The Atlantean taunted, shooting at her.

Kari yelped and swam as fast as she could, but her dead legs weighed her down and didn't allow her a quick getaway, allowing the speeder to catch up to her. J'honn noted her distress and rushed to her aid. He phased right through the speeder, shorting it out before it reached her. He then gathered her in him arm.

"Are you alright?" He asked her.

"I am now." she replied, then her eyes widened. "But something tells me that's not gonna last long."

She pointed up at the gigantic Atlantean ship as is bore down on the Justice League. Springing into action, Superman grabbed a massive boulder from off the ocean floor and dragged it across the hull of the ship, causing it to flood and crash.

"This way!" Superman shouted.

The group swam after Superman, approaching the domed city of Atlantis.

"There it is!" Kari declared.

"C'mon, we need to hurry!" GL announced.

As they swam towards the city, cannons hidden in the rocks sprang out and fired out small mines towards the group.

"Depth charges!" J'honn called out. "Do not let them-!"

Two mines collided with one another, exploding on impact. The explosion sent Diana and GL colliding into a chasm wall, knocking them out. A secondary impact sent J'honn and Kari flying. She flew from his grasp as the two sank to the bottom of the reef. It took seven more explosions of that magnitude to finally take down Superman.

As the heroes slipped into unconsciousness, the Atlanteans closed in on them.

…

Sometime later, the heroes slowly regained consciousness. They were on their knees in the middle of a grand throne room. Their hands were chained behind them, their underwater masks were gone, and all but Kari wore a strange device on their head that sparked with power. One guard was holding Kari under her arm so she could be sitting up straight in front of Orm.

"Worthless surface scum." He insulted.

Superman, the first to fully regain his senses, looked up at Orm in confusion.

"Where's Aquaman?" he asked, gritting his teeth against a splitting headache.

"From what I've heard, your kind already took care of him." Orm threw back.

"No…" Kari let out. "It wasn't us…"

"She's right." Diana agreed. "Aquaman returned here hours ago."

"And it wasn't us who tried to kill him." Kari insisted. "He was paid in sunken treasure. An

Atlantean hired the assassin to-"

"Lies!" Orm yelled, slapping Kari across the face.

Her head twisted in response to the slap, an action that did not go unnoticed by Mera. She watch Orm in confusion as Kari looked back at him.

"I swore an oath never to commit falsehoods." She told him. "Everything I'm saying is the truth. There is an Atlantean plot on Aquaman's life, and-"

This time, he cut her off not with a slap, but with a blast from his trident. She fell hard, only for the guard holding her to keep her upright.

"Everything you surface dwellers say is nothing but falsehoods and deception." Orm dismissed. "And this invasion of our sacred boarders is nothing short of an act of war. You all will be executed as enemies of the crown, then I will wipe out the surface world once and for all."

Guards grabbed all of the heroes, dragging them off.

…

The League was placed in a large, circular chamber. Their arms were locked to the wall, even Kari's. Once they were all secured, a glass wall rises up, sealing the chamber before water began pouring from a trio of stone leviathan mouths high above them. The water quickly began to fill the chamber, rising ever higher with each passing moment.

"C'mon you guys." Kari insisted, struggling against her bonds. "Break free! These things shouldn't be able to hold you like this."

"It's the helmets..." J'honn let out. "Can't focus..."

"They're giving off some sort of… synaptic discharge." GL guessed.

"Then we'll drown..." Diana realized.

The water reached their necks by that point, forcing them to hold their breath.

…

The armies of Atlantis prepared for war. Ship after ship was loaded up with weapons and ammunition to take out a good portion of the surface population. General Brak oversaw the entire endeavor, bowing as Orm came by on a speeder.

"Your troops are almost ready to depart, milord." Brak reported.

"Proceed, General." Orm commanded. "I will join you after I attend to some unfinished business."

Orm then sped off, completely unaware of Mera listening in on the entire thing. Once Orm disappeared, she darted away from the loading docks towards where the League was being executed.

By this point, the water had almost reached the top of the chamber, all five of its prisoners struggling to hold their breath. The two guards watching them smirked in amusement.

"I bet the broken one croaks first." One of the guards quipped.

"You think?" The second one asked.

Just then, the first guard was hit on the head by Mera, using a commandeered spear. Before the second guard could respond, she struck him as well, knocking him unconscious. She then made a beeline for the controls of the execution chamber, pulling the lever that drained the water. It fell quickly, allowing the league fresh air that they greedily accepted.

They coughed and hacked, spitting up a great deal of water as Mera rushed into the room to free them. She freed J'honn first, who quickly flew over to Kari and freed her, gathering the girl in his arms. Mera then freed GL, who in turn freed Superman.

"Thank you." Wonder Woman spoke as Mera unlocked her cuffs. "But why?"

"Because I believe what she said." Mera replied, gesturing to Kari. "And I believe that my husband is somewhere in the city."

"If he is, then he's in grave danger." Superman told her.

"Please, help me find him." Mera pleaded. "I beg you."

"Of course we will." Kari promised. "We'll do whatever we can."

…

Miles outside the city at the site of an underwater volcano, Aquaman was chained to the side of the cliff, struggling with all his might to get free. As he tried with all his might to free himself, Orm arrived on a speeder. He looked down at his brother with a condescending smirk.

"Enjoying the view?" He asked, mockingly.

"Release me at once, Orm!" Aquaman demanded.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Orm replied. "You would undo everything I have worked so hard to achieve. The show I had to put on for Brak and Mera, pretending I honestly cared about what happened to you and your son."

Aquaman's eyes widened at the mention of his son.

"What have you done to my son?" Aquaman asked.

"See for yourself." Orm replied.

He then went to the front of the speeder and opened a hatch. From it, he pulled the crying prince, bundled up in a red swaddling cloth.

"No!" Aquaman screamed.

…

The League and Mera walked through the seemingly empty streets of Atlantis. With no chair to get around in, J'honn was forced to carry Kari in his arms, though he did not seem to mind. She looked around from her perch, marveling at the architectural and technological wonders of the underwater city.

"This kingdom is truly magnificent." she complimented.

"I agree." Diana added. "It's no wonder why Aquaman protects it so passionately."

"Unfortunately, there are those whose ambitions would destroy it." Mera remarked bitterly.

Just then, a volley of laser fire struck the ground right in front of the league.

"Get down!" Diana called out, deflecting several of the laser shots.

J'honn attempted to back away from the oncoming soldiers, covering Kari in his arms. Unfortunately, more soldiers approached from behind him. This forced him to take off into the air to protect them both. As Superman took some of the shots head on, GL blasted at the ground in front of the soldiers, causing the floor to explode and the soldiers to fall into the water below. Wonder Woman held onto Mera, preventing her from joining the soldiers.

"Thank you." Mera told the League.

"This fight is far from over." J'honn pointed out.

They all then flew off to find somewhere safe.

…

"It really is a shame." Orm lamented sarcastically. "He will be the first casualty in our war against the surface, leaving me as the sole heir to the throne."

Orm then took out a dagger and stabbed it into the side of the mountain, mounting the baby onto it. He then mounted his speeder once more and aimed his trident at them.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to avenge your deaths." he told them.

With that, he shot lightning right at the cliffside, severing the stone and sending it sliding towards the magma of the underwater volcano. He then sped off, Aquaman screaming his name as he left the two royals to die.

The cries of his son spurred Aquaman into action, redoubling his efforts to free himself from his chains. After a few hard pulls, his right arm was finally able to snap the chain. Unfortunately, his left arm was still held fast. Thinking quickly, he took off the sharp buckle on his belt and tried hacking at the chains with it. As hard as he tried though, the chain would not break.

Time was running out for both the sea king and his son, and he knew it. Already, he could feel the heat of the magma as they drew closer. He looked down at it, then over at his son. Gritting his teeth, he lifted the sharp belt buckle up one last time, bringing it down with a yell.

…

Back in Atlantis, the remaining soldiers loyal to Orm were defeated, and the League was scouring the city looking for Aquaman. J'honn, Kari, Diana and Mera waited in the royal palace, sitting on the steps leading to the throne. Diana comforted the distraught Queen as the rest of the League returned from their search.

"We searched the entire palace." GL reported.

"But there's no sign of him." Superman finished.

Mera became disheartened at the prospect. Kari and Diana placed their arms around her to comfort her. Then, there was the sound of sodden footsteps approaching them. The League all turned, ready to face the latest threat. They all soon relaxed once they saw that it was Aquaman. He was clearly exhausted, dripping wet, but held his son in his arms with a smile on his face.

"Arthur!" Mera let out. "You're safe."

"And so is our son." Aquaman reassured, holding out the infant.

She took the child into her arms, cradling him lovingly. Her eyes then drifted down to Aquaman's arms, gasping in fright as she saw her husband's left hand gone, her son's swaddling blanket staunching the bleeding.

"Your hand." She whispered, horrified.

Aquaman lifted his bloody stump, gripping it with his remaining hand as his eyes narrowed darkly.

"Where. Is. Orm?" He growled out.

…

In the palace medical bay, Mera and the league watched as a surgeon began work on Aquaman's stump, stopping the bleeding and preparing a prosthetic. The only sound in the room was an occasional grunt of pain from the king.

"His own hand..." Superman muttered in amazement. "I can't believe it."

"I told you he was a mad man." GL remarked.

"Yeah, only a madman would risk life and limb to protect those around them." Kari retorted, giving GL a pointed look.

GL glanced over at her, his eyes falling on her atrophied legs as she lay in J'honn's grip. His words died on his tongue, though Aquaman was far from quiet.

"Can't you work any faster?" he snapped at the doctor.

"This is a delicate operation, milord." the doctor replied, continuing with his work. "It can't be rushed."

As the doctor continued working, someone called in on Superman's comm device. He broke away from the group, answering the call

"Superman," Batman's voice called. "A situations developed up at the North Pole. Thermal readings show temperatures increasing rapidly."

"If that continues," J'honn put together. "The ecological effects could be catastrophic."

"I don't suppose you know anything about this, your highness." GL let out.

"Lantern, enough!" Kari shouted.

"Actually, he is not wrong." Aquaman admitted. "It's the doomsday thermo reactor. We designed it to create a polar meltdown."

"What?!" GL cried out.

"I had it built as a weapon of last resort." Aquaman clarified. "To protect Atlantis should the surface world ever attack. But I never armed it."

"Then Orm must be using the plutonium from the submarine." Kari rationalized, turning the GL again. "I guess someone's prejudice was wrong."

"We don't have time for that now." Superman interjected. "If the polar caps melt, the earth will sink beneath the waves and destroy everything. Orm must be stopped."

"And he will be." Aquaman declared, getting off the table and showing off his new hook hand. "I'll see to it personally."

…

At the North Pole, Aquaman dove from the water at blinding speeds, jumping onto one of the larger ice caps before walking across it. Behind him, the Javelin emerged from the water as well, opening up its hatch so Superman, Diana, GL and J'honn could fly out.

"Aquaman!" Kari called down from the pilot's seat via intercom.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"We came to help." Superman replied.

"This is my fight." Aquaman told them. "No one asked you to fight it."

The League landed in front of him, stopping his progression.

"Like it or not, we've got a dog in this fight too." GL pointed out. "We're not leaving."

"Then just stay out of my way." He warned.

All of a sudden, a missile from beneath the ice exploded, sending the heroes flying backward. They recovered quickly as the large Atlantean ship emerged from the ice.

"Well, that's inconvenient." Kari remarked, arming the Javelin's weapons systems.

As Kari flew off in the Javelin, a second ship of equal size to the first emerged. Both ships immediately fired on the heroes, forcing them to scatter.

"Kari, take out the ship on our left flank." Superman ordered. "We'll handle the second one."

"Got it!" Kari replied.

Off in the distance, General Brak watched the heroes advance, lifting his sword high over his head.

"Soldiers of Atlantis, attack!" he commanded.

An entire army of speeders approached the group. In response, GL released the energy bubble he was carrying Aquaman in and allowed him to dive towards the water. He quickly took out a speeder with his hook before diving under the water and speeding off. Back up top, GL created another shield to protect him against the oncoming blaster fire.

"Here we go again." He let out.

As the fighting continued, Batman flew by in the Batwing, noticing the glaciers around him starting to fall apart.

"Superman, the glaciers are already beginning to melt." He reported.

"I know," Superman replied. "But we've got our hands full here."

Back with GL, he flew along the surface of the water, creating a wall with his ring that not only shielded him from the blasts, but also destroyed an oncoming speeder. Wonder Woman quickly lassoed one Atlantean and pulled him off his speeder, causing it to go flying through the air and almost collide with another Atlantean before J'honn grabbed him and pulled him into the air. He then dropped him back into the water without a second thought.

An entire armada of speeders began to move in on the heroes, but Kari swooped in with the Javelin, taking them out with the onboard blasters. Atlantean soldiers quickly abandoned their vessels, which were reduced to scrap metal.

"Yes!" Kari cheered. "We're finally beating these guys."

"Don't get cocky." Batman interjected, pulling alongside her in the Batwing. "There's still more where they came from."

Down below, Aquaman approached a speeder from behind, knocking its driver aside before commandeering it for himself. He quickly turned it around and charged right at the ship. Superman flew in close and, after dodging one of the turrets blasts, flew straight into the ship and tore the turret right off. Unbeknownst to him, a second turret opened up on the ship and shot at him. He turned to see the blast coming, but was unable to move fast enough. It knocked him right out of the sky and into one of the icebergs.

Seeing the Man of Steel fall, General Brak hopped onto a speeder, his sword drawn as he prepared to finish the job. Several more soldiers followed behind him.

"For Atlantis!" He shouted, waving his sword in the air.

Aquaman continued riding forward, deflecting blasts with his hook. Just then, a killer whale jumped out of the water beside him. Aquaman leapt from his speeder, grabbing onto the whale's dorsal fin as it plowed right throw several of the speeders. He then used the whale to coast through the water at incredible speeds, determined to reach his brother.

"Uh… I'm not the only one that saw that, am I?" Kari questioned, rubbing her eyes.

"I saw it," GL replied. "But I still don't believe it."

"Stay with him." Superman told him. "We'll handle things here."

GL nodded, then wordlessly followed after the shadow of the Killer Whale. He lost sight of it for a moment, but quickly found Aquaman as he surfaced through the ice. Aquaman then wasted no time heading toward the location of the reactor.

…

Inside the icy cave that served as the reactors hiding place, ice was melting at a rapid rate. Water fell like rain from the roof, chunks of ice coming down as well. Aquaman marched across a slick, icy bridge towards the reactor. The bridge was slowly becoming more and more treacherous, ice falling from the bottom to destroy the structural integrity of the entire thing. Still, he made it across, approaching the large machine.

It appeared to be unguarded, so he approached the keyboard with the intent to shut it down. Before his fingers even reached the keys, lightning struck him from behind. He fell hard, revealing Orm standing behind him with his trident smoking.

"I always knew you were a stubborn one, brother." Orm taunted, raising the trident for a killing blow. "Though I can imagine stubbornness can only last so long against death."

Aquaman rolled out of the way of the blow, kicking Orm in the face. He recovered from the kick quickly, landing gracefully before charging again.

…

Back outside, Green Lantern and Batman flew towards the reactor at top speeds.

"There's not much time!" Batman told him. "If we can't shut that down, the entire world is doomed!"

"I suppose this would be a bad time for an 'I told you so'." GL guessed.

"Lantern, seriously?!" Kari called over the speakers.

"What?" GL retorted.

Kari just let out a grunt of annoyance as she returned to the fight, GL and Batman continuing forward.

…

Aquaman's hook clashed with Orm's trident, forcing the two to lock weapons. Finally, Aquaman socked Orm in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"It's over, Orm." Aquaman declared.

"Indeed it is." Orm admitted. "And you lost!"

He then took the trident and blasted the control panel, utterly destroying it. Aquaman's jaw dropped.

"No!" he screamed. "What have you done?!"

Another blast from the trident sent him skittering across the ice as Orm regained his footing.

"I assured Atlantis' victory." he replied simply. "Nothing can stop the reactor now!"

…

As Green Lantern and Batman arrived, the reactors power began increasing. The glaciers were melting quicker by the minute, much to their dismay.

"We're too late." GL lamented.

"Not yet!" Batman declared before bolting inside.

GL followed suit, hoping Batman had a plan.

…

Back with Aquaman, his battle with Orm raged on. Both clashing weapons and Aquaman getting in a good hit every chance he got. Orm gave as good as he got, either with his fists or with the trident. Aquaman avoided one of its blasts, shoving Orm aside and onto his back. With a backflip, Orm got back on his feet, shooting another bolt of lightning right at a pouncing Aquaman.

The force of the blow sent him flying out of the reactor room and onto the icy bridge. By this time, the ice was so fragile that it shattered on impact. Aquaman would have fallen into the ravine below had his hook not saved him, sticking into the ice and slowing his descent. Orm marched towards the edge of the collapsed bridge almost certain his brother had perished.

Behind him, GL and Batman approached the reactor. The two heroes took one look at the control panel and cursed.

"No good." Batman declared. "I'll have to go inside and manually shut it down."

"Inside?!" GL let out. "Are you insane?!"

"Your ring." Batman continued, ignoring GL's outburst. "Can it protect me?"

"We're about to find out." GL remarked, coating Batman in a green energy shield.

Once the shielding was in place, Batman opened a hatch on the side of the reactor, crawling inside the machine.

…

Back with Aquaman, Orm had discovered him on the wall and attempted to blast him off of it. The king leapt from one section of ice to another, desperate to avoid his brother's blasts. He managed to get to the other side of the now broken ice bridge, jumping onto a higher one. Still, Orm kept up the blasts, slowly disintegrating Aquaman's walking path. As continued blasting at them, he looked back at the reactor, seeing GL helping Batman.

"No!" Orm shouted, aiming his trident at GL. "Get away from that!"

Before he could fire a shot, GL summoned a shield around himself, deflecting the blast. Orm readied another one, but Aquaman drew his attention again.

"Orm!" He shouted. "Stop!"

Orm's focus turned back to Aquaman as he shot at him again. Aquaman leapt out of the way of the blast and brought his hook down on the trident as he landed near Orm. Orm quickly punched Aquaman in the face, causing him to stumble back. As Orm was about to shoot again, Aquaman pounced on him. The two rolled across the ice, falling over the ledge and onto a lower bridge of ice. Though it did not shatter on impact, it did crack.

Orm brought the trident down on Aquaman, the latter using his hook to keep the deadly points away from his face. Quickly, Aquaman moved his head out of the way as the trident came down, taking a few hairs off his head. He quickly kicked Orm in the face, causing him to fall back as Aquaman got back to his feet.

From his belt, Orm pulled a dagger, which he used to stab Aquaman in the shoulder. The King yelped in pain, clutching his bleeding shoulder as Orm stalked towards him. There was a gleam of madness in his eyes as he lifted the dagger.

"You're not fit to wear the crown!" Orm shouted, slicing at his brother but narrowly missing him each time. "You're a weak, gutless-!"

The ice beneath him crumbled away, taking away his footing. Began to fall, the dagger falling from his grasp as he grabbed desperately for the ledge. The ice was slick, and his grip was tentative at best. He looked up at Aquaman, his eyes fearful and pleading.

"Brother..." he let out. "Please… Help me."

Aquaman looked down at Orm, and for a moment, it looked as though he would help him. Instead, he merely pulled the trident out of the ice, gripping it tightly as he looked down at his brother.

"I believe this is mine." he declared.

Orm's grip on the ice slipped and he plummeted into the ravine, screaming the entire way. Aquaman watched him disappear from sight, then turned back towards the reactor and the two heroes trying to shut it off.

GL had beads of sweat running down his face, his hand shaking from holding his arm out for so long.

"Hurry Batman!" He called out.

Inside the reactor, Batman worked as quickly as he could. Finally, with one final valve turn, the reactor shut down. The melting ceased, and the entire core began to power down. The temperature dropped significantly, the ice slowly freezing once again.

"You did it, Batman!" GL cheered as Batman climbed out of the reactor.

"No, we did it." Batman clarified as GL's shield subsided.

"Then the threat is over." Aquaman announced as he walked in.

…

Back in Atlantis, the generals that served under Orm were brought before Aquaman, Mera, and the League. Brak attempted to beseech his King, begging for mercy.

"You must believe me, milord." he insisted. "Our loyalty is to you and you alone. We never believed in Orm's plan, but your brother forced us. The truth is we were only following orders."

Kari let out a snort, crossing her arms.

"Right, and I'm just pretending I can't walk." she remarked sarcastically.

Aquaman just remained silent for a moment.

"Get them out of my sight." He ordered.

The soldiers flanking the generals led them away to face judgement. He watched them go, then let out a heavy sigh. He almost seemed to age several years in those few seconds.

"I can only blame myself..." he lamented. "Ever since my capture all those years ago, I have feared an attack from the surface. This blinded me to the threats my own kingdom, my own brother, held for me."

He looked down at his hook hand, then turned away in disgust.

"And now look at me..." he muttered. "Look at what my fear cost me."

"Don't be too hard on yourself." GL replied. "I think we've all misjudged."

"Perhaps." Aquaman allowed.

He lowered his hook, turning towards Kari.

"You offered me a chance to bring peace between our two worlds." he remembered. "That's all I've ever wanted: peace and security for Atlantis."

"After all this, it won't be an easy thing to accomplish." she admitted.

"I know." Aquaman replied, glancing back at Mera and his son. "But some sacrifices are worth it."

Kari gave a nod, J'honn pulling her closer in his grip as Aquaman embraced his family, just happy to be with them once again.


	5. Injustice for All

**Notes from the Author of the Insane: Let me make something clear. This is my version of the DC universe. Yes it is heavily based on the DCAU, but I am going to be taking stuff from other media. Among that general 'stuff' is** **the comic's version of Cheetah rather than the JL version of her. Call me a purist, but that's what I like. Anyways, enjoy!**

…

In the middle of his office at Lexcorp, Lex Luthor stood triumphantly over Superman. In his hands, he held a large piece of Kryptonite that was glowing brightly. The greens rays of radiation cascaded over the Man of Steel, robbing him of not only his powers, but his life force as well.

"So this is how it ends." Luthor mused, a triumphant smirk on his face. "I've carried this shard with me all these years, waiting for just the right moment. Now that it's here, I almost feel a little let down."

He let out a chuckle as a pained whimper escape Superman's lips.

"Almost." He repeated, stepping closer to Superman. "Any last requests?"

"Luthor…" Superman wheezed. "I have… to know… Those weapons you sold… to those terrorists… How did you-?"

"How did I get them through customs?" Luthor guessed. "A gift here, a bribe there. When money talks, people listen. Like Stavros at the shipping company, or Schneider, the INTERPOL agent who looked the other way."

Superman stopped squirming after that, standing up with a triumphant expression of his own.

"Sounds like you'll have company in prison." He declared.

Before Lex could question what was going on, Superman's form shifted, revealing to be J'honn J'onzz in disguise. Lex's eyes went wide, the Kryptonite tumbling from his grasp. J'honn placed a hand to his ear.

"Did you get all that?" He asked.

" _Every word._ " Kari's voice replied. " _The Watchtower's systems are already running the names through. We'll have Lex's cronies in no time, and with this confession, it's an open and shut case._ "

"You're usually more careful, Lex." Batman criticized, walking into Lex's office with GL right behind him. "You slipped up."

"And you're going down hard." GL concluded.

Before Lex could react, GL grabbed the fallen Kryptonite shard with his ring, pulling it towards him. Batman took it, sliding it into a lead-lined pouch on his utility belt.

"Mission accomplished." Batman said into his comm. "Tell Superman the Kryptonite is secure."

" _Got it, Bats._ " Kari reported.

The League moved in on Lex, who backed away in fear.

"So much for your image as a legitimate business man." J'honn remarked. "This is the end on an era."

"The end of your era, maybe." Luthor snapped, pulling a remote from his coat pocket.

He hit the single button on the remote, summoning what appeared to be a small drone. It flew up to the window, then fired a high intensity laser right through the glass. The Leaguers present scattered to avoid the blast, forced to dunk under an entire volley as Lex jumped on top of it. He climbed into the drone, taking over piloting before launching a missile at the group. It hit the ceiling above the league, causing it to collapse on top of them. With a grin, Luthor shot a second one, which completely decimated the entire floor with a deafening explosion.

"So long." He called out before flying off.

Back in Lexcorp, the dust cleared to reveal a shield summoned by GL. He made it disappear as he glanced around the wreckage.

"Why do they always run?" he wondered.

" _Superman._ " Kari called out through the comms. " _Lex is making a break for it. Move to intercept._ "

…

Luthor's drone soared through the skies in his drone, meaning to put as much distance between him and the league as possible. He looked behind him and saw Superman flying after him. His confident demeanor faded as he activated more of the drone's weapons systems. Missiles flew from the drone straight at him. He dodged a few, but one hit Superman straight on, causing him to tumble through the air.

Lex turned back to the skies with a smug smile on his face before he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He doubled over in pain, his vision going blurry as the drone began to veer off course. Recovering from the missile strike, Superman saw the drone's out of control descent and immediately bolted to catch it. He caught it inches before it hit the ground, setting it on the street carefully. He then pulled off the top of the cockpit, revealing a barely conscious Lex.

"Lex?" Superman called out, pulling the man from the drone. "Lex!"

…

Lex woke with a groan, realizing he was in a hospital with Superman, Kari, and a doctor standing over him.

"You!" Lex cried out, sitting up. "What are you doing here?!"

"Easy Luthor." Kari tried to tell him. "You're in Our Lady of Mercy hospital. Superman brought you here as soon as he could."

The doctor then stepped forward, holding up a clip board.

"This is Dr. Cooper." Kari introduced. "He's been my physician for a few years."

"I'm afraid he has some bad news to tell you." Superman lamented.

"No I have some bad news to tell you!" Luthor threw back. "Nothing I said to the Martian will hold up in court. I'll get the best lawyers, the best witnesses, and the best-"

"Lex!" Superman cut off. "None of that matters anymore."

"Superman is right." Kari insisted. "Please, listen to the doctor."

"Mr. Luthor, you had a seizure." Dr. Cooper explained. "Has this happened to you before?"

Luthor just glared at him, giving the doctor a reasonable answer.

"My tests show that you have a rare form of blood poisoning." Dr. Cooper continued, showing him the clipboard.

"Impossible." Lex replied, taking the clipboard.

"Remember that chunk of kryptonite you've been carrying around for years?" Superman asked.

"So what?" Lex responded. "Kryptonite only affects you."

"That's not true." Kari corrected. "I'm sure you remember the Laughing Dragon, the Chinese statue carved from kryptonite.

"That thing Joker used to try and kill Superman?" Lex clarified. "How can I forget?"

"Yes." Kari said with a nod. "According to its lore, all of its previous owners died of a mysterious illness."

"That is because prolonged exposure to the Kryptonite radiation is fatal to even humans." Dr. Cooper added. "But only after they've been exposed to it for long periods of time."

"This is your fault!" Lex cried out, throwing the clipboard at Superman. "All of it!"

The clipboard collided with Superman's chest, the Man of Steel not even phased by it. Lex watched it fall, then turned to Dr. Cooper.

"What's the treatment?" Lex asked. "Radiation? Chemo?"

There was a moment of silence, then Dr. Cooper spoke up again.

"Unfortunately, there is no cure."

"Then find one!" Lex demanded. "Price is no object."

"Lex." Kari interjected. "There's no cure because it's terminal… I'm sorry."

Lex was taken aback by the news. His fists clenched, then he turned towards Superman with a cold hatred in his eyes.

"Happy Superman?" Lex asked spitefully.

"Lex," Superman let out. "If there's anything I can do…"

"You've done more than enough." Lex replied, leaning back in his bed.

Kari looked over at Superman, just shaking her head. Superman nodded once, took her wheelchair, and the two took their leave of the hospital.

...

After receiving the news of his terminal illness, Luthor seemingly gave up. His threats to gather the best legal team fell through, and Kari slammed him in court. He was sent to Stryker's Island, where he would spend the rest of his now shortened life.

Lex quickly grew intolerant of his new lifestyle, especially with the occupant of the cell right next to his, the Ultra-Humanite. Humanite was an albino gorilla-humanoid with a vast mental capacity and a love for the classical arts. This love was shown most prominently when he would watch his favorite opera program at high volumes on the Public Broadcasting Network. Unfortunately, this program only aired at night, making it nearly impossible for Lex to get any rest.

He tossed and turned in his head, using his pillow to cover his ears, but nothing seemed to work. Finally, he got out of bed and banged against the wall.

"Hey!" He called out. "Keep it down! Can't a body die in peace around here?!"

In response, Humanite merely turned up the volume, ignoring Lex's protests. He leaned back in his chair, smiling blissfully.

"Exquisite." He complimented.

Realizing he was getting nowhere by banging on the wall, Lex turned to his own provided television set, accessing the mechanics and tinkering around with it. After a minute, he managed to hack into Humanite's television, cutting off the program with an image of himself.

" _Humanite_!" Lex exclaimed. " _How can you stand that caterwauling?_ "

"Music is one of the meager pleasures I'm allowed in here." Humanite explained. "As well as a few other necessities."

He glanced over at all of the various decorations of his cell, making it seem more like a four star hotel room than a prison.

"You should try the culture channel." Humanite suggested. "It might improve your disposition."

" _There's nothing wrong with my disposition that a little freedom can't cure._ " Lex retorted.

"That's not what I hear." Humanite taunted with a knowing smirk.

Lex ignored the quip, moving on.

" _I need your help._ " he explained. " _And I can make it worth your while._ "

"What do I need with money?" he questioned.

" _Everyone needs money._ " Lex countered. " _The only question is, how much?_ "

The TV fizzled out, returning to Humanite's program. It was nearing the end of the soprano's solo, with a message now being broadcast.

" _This will be the final airing of the program, as funding for its broadcast has been cut._ " The message declared. " _If you wish to keep this program on air, please consider contributing to your PBS station. Thank you._ "

Humanite switched off the TV, looking at the screen with a small frown as he mulled over Lex's offer.

...

Later that night, a pair of guards approached Humanite's cell door in order to bring him his dinner. The guard used a retinal scanner to open the door, revealing the humanoid ape laying in his bed, enjoying a good book.

"Dinner, Humanite." the guard announced.

"I'm afraid I'm a little under the weather." Humanite lamented. "Could you please wheel it in?"

The guard turned to his partner curiously.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"He is a model prisoner." his partner admitted, pulling his nightstick off his belt. "Still, better safe than sorry."

The guard did the same, then they wheeled the tray of food into the cell. They stepped foot onto a metal panel, the two immediately getting electrocuted. Humanite smirked, revealing the book he was reading as the activation switch. He turned off the panel again, the two guards dropping to the ground. He picked up the first one, then pulled this lid off of his food tray to see what they were bringing him.

"Salisbury Steak..." he said with a dry tone, rolling his eyes. "Really."

He replaced the lid, then dragged the guard over to Lex's cell, using his eye to open the door. He then tossed the guard aside, entering the cell.

"Luthor?" he whispered. "Wake up. We're leaving."  
Luthor quickly came out of the cell, carrying some kind of package. He quickly took note of the guard on the floor.

"Impressive." He commended. "But let's not linger."

With that, Luthor and Humanite made their way out of the prison, the alarms blaring behind them. Searchlights began searching for them as guards made their way up onto the roof.

"Up there!" one guard shouted, pointing up at one of the watchtowers.

A spotlight moved onto the tower, revealing Humanite scaling the structure with Luthor on his back.

"Open fire!" another guard ordered.

The guards began firing at the two, but Humanite was able to avoid the shots at them as he made it up the tower.

"Hang on." Humanite told Luthor.

With that, Humanite leapt off the tower towards the wall of the prison, where they easily made their escape.

...

Driving through the streets of Metropolis, Batman's police radio began to chirp, a voice coming onto it.

" _Calling all cars, we have two escaped convicts from Stryker's Island on the loose_." the dispatcher declared. " _Be on the lookout for the Ultra-Humanite and Lex Luthor. Repeat, The Ultra-Humanite and Lex Luthor are on the loose. They are considered armed and extremely dangerous."_

Batman wasted no time hitting the accelerator on the Batmobile and speeding off to find the escaped criminals.

…

Elsewhere in the city, the two convicts walked through a darkened alley. When they heard the sounds of an approaching siren, they both froze before quickly ducking down behind a dumpster. There, they hid as a cop car passed by in search of them. Luckily for them, the cops failed to spot them.

"What we need is a small diversion." Luthor decided.

He then tore open the package, revealing a small explosive device. After arming it, Luthor chucked the bomb at the steps of a nearby building. It promptly exploded, completely decimating the front of the building, as well as almost totaling the cop car in the fallout. The cops quickly got out of the car, facing the burning building.

"Call the rescue units!" one of the cops shouted.

Luthor and Humanite just stood in the alleyway surveying their handiwork.

"That should keep them busy." Luthor remarked. "Come on."

The two disappeared as people began to pour out of the burning building. Batman pulled up in front of it, jumping out. His eyes drifted up the smoking wreckage, seeing a young girl in one of the windows. She was waving her arms, trying to get someone's attention, but the roar of the flames drowned out her screams. She began choking on the smoke before she was forced back inside by burning wreckage.

"I need backup here!" Batman demanded into his ear piece. "Fast!"

" _On its way, Batman_." Kari informed him. " _Flash, how far are you from Batman's position?_ "

" _I'm never far from anything_." Flash's voice answered. " _I'll be there in a few minutes._ "

"Not good enough." Batman told him.

Batman then ran towards the building and fired his grapnel up at it. He used it to fly up towards the window the girl was in, using his cape to protect himself from the debris and fire as he crashed through it. He spotted her in the corner of the room and approached her. Once she saw him, she ran towards him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Please help me..." the girl cried, holding him tighter. "I'm scared."

"Don't be." he told her. "It's going to be alright."

As he ran towards the window, a bunch of flaming debris fell in front of them, cutting off their escape. Batman clenched his fist, then pulled the girl closer to himself as he ran out of the room. He made a beeline for the stairs, but they gave out in front of him, a pit of fire raging in the gap. Before he could run back up, the stairs they came down on collapsed as well, leaving only the lone platform they were standing on.

This was only made worse when the platform they were on began to give way beneath Batman's feet. He clutched the girl, fully prepared to take the brunt of the fall to save her. Luckily, his noble sacrifice was not necessary as Hawkgirl flew in for the save. She grabbed Batman by his shoulders, flying him and the little girl out of the burning building. She dropped them both outside and Batman set the little girl down. Immediately, a man in a bathrobe ran over, picking up the little girl with a relieved smile.

"Daddy!" the girl cried.

"Oh sweetie, thank goodness you're okay." the man said softly.

Hawkgirl looked over at Batman with a playful smirk.

"I'm used to being thanked when I save someone." she quipped.

"I'm not used to being saved." he replied honestly.

At that time, Superman and the Flash came flying and running towards them.

"Guess you were right about not being good enough." Flash remarked. "Sorry I took so long."

"Where are Luthor and the Humanite?" Batman asked, ignoring Flash's remark.

"We couldn't find any sign of them." Superman lamented.

"Still, it's just the two of them." Flash dismissed. "How much trouble could they cause?"

…

In the abandoned Metropolis Pictures Store, Cheetah approached the door with feline grace. She tried the door, only mildly surprised to find it open and unlocked. She then opened the door and entered into the picture store, seeing it decrepit and abandoned. She sniffed the air, catching the scent of someone else in the store.

As she did this, a snake-clad thief emerged from behind a cartoon statue, giving Cheetah a fanged smirk. She immediately pounced at him, forcing him to dodge her attack. She tried again, but once again, he deftly the avoided the blow.

"Easy there, lady." he insisted, raising his hands in a pacifying gesture. "Easy."

"Who are you?" Cheetah demanded, claws raised.

"Name's Copperhead." he informed her. "I'm here about a job."

"So am I." Cheetah replied, lowering her claws. "Someone called me. Was it you?"

"No, but maybe we'll be working together." He suggested walking up to her. "Closely together."

Copperhead hissed at her, his forked tongue flicking up and down. Cheetah recoiled in disgust, clawing him on the arm. He back away, clutching his bleeding arm.

"You bitch!" he snapped before smacking her across the room with his tail.

She landed hard against what she thought was a statue. However, if was quickly revealed to be the giant zombie known as Solomon Grundy. Cheetah gasped at the sight of the monster, who merely laughed before petting Cheetah's long red hair.

"Nice kitty…" he complimented.

She recovered quickly at that, scratching at Grundy's arm.

"Hands off!" she snarled.

Unlike with Copperhead, the wounds didn't bleed. Instead, they simply seemed to piss off the oversized zombie.

"No one hurts Grundy!" He declared readying his arms to smash her.

Cheetah wisely ran in the opposite direction, tackling Copperhead in order to get him out of the way. Rather than strike either of them, Grundy ended up smashing a table to splinters instead. He picked up one half of the smashed table, throwing it at the pair before they dove out of the way.

Silently agreeing to work together, Cheetah drew Grundy's attention while Copperhead jumped on his back. As Grundy struggled to shake him off, Cheetah tried clawing at him some more. While they were all preoccupied, a shadowy man with a top hat and a cane came out and used said cane to fire a long line of shadows at the villains. It fractured into several tendrils, surrounding the three of them and plunging them into blackness.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Grundy questioned.

"I did." The man replied, dissipating the shadows with his cane. "And I'll do worse if you don't stop behaving like unruly children."

"Who do you think you are?!" Copperhead demanded, walking up to him.

"The Shade." He introduced with a bow. "And my nightstick is more than a match for you amateurs."

A halo of pink energy surrounded the nightstick, pulling it from Shade's grasp. He reached for it in surprise, but failed to grab it in time.

"Hey!" he shouted.

"Spare us." a woman with long black hair and a very revealing violet costume said as she flew down amongst the group, a star shaped gemstone in her headdress suspending the staff with the energy. "Without your stick, you're as powerless as any normal man."

She held the stick in her hand, surveying the villains curiously. Cheetah hissed at her, but the woman seemed unphased. If anything, she seemed annoyed.

"Common criminals." she spat. "Is this what I've been reduced to?"

"Criminals, yes." A voice confirmed. "But common, most certainly not."

The motley group of criminals turned and watched as Luthor and Ultra Humanite descended in a broken elevator onto the main floor of the store. Once it reached the end, the two emerged, Luthor wearing a confident smirk.

"Lex Luthor?" Shade said in surprise, taking his staff back with an annoyed look. "Well, the plot thins."

"I see you've all met one another, good." Luthor remarked. "Cheetah, Shade, Grundy, Copperhead, Star Sapphire, meet the Ultra-Humanite. He's the final member of this little plan of mine."

"Charmed, I'm sure." Humanite said with a small bow.

"Cut the courtesies Luthor." Copperhead told him. "Why are we here?"

"Each of you is the best in the world at what you do." Luthor explained. "And I have need of your services."

"My talents don't come cheap." Cheetah warned, shining her claws on her shirt.

"You'll all be paid most handsomely." Luthor assured them all. "If you can do one simple job."

"And what, pray tell, is this job?" Shae questioned skeptically.

"... Destroy Superman, and the Justice League." Luthor instructed.

The five villains were taken aback by this strange, and completely outlandish request. However, both Star Sapphire and Grundy were intrigued by the idea, shown in their gleeful smiles.

…

Up in the Watchtower, Batman and Kari sat in front of the tower's monitoring station, trying to find any sign of Luthor and Humanite. Behind them, Flash and Hawkgirl were talking.

"Yeah I may not have gotten there in time to help Bats with the kid, but I still had those fires out before the firemen even stepped off their trucks." Flash boasted.

"That's fast." Hawkgirl complimented with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Fastest man alive." Flash bragged.

"Maybe that's why you can't get a date." Hawkgirl ribbed, walking over to the monitors.

Kari let out a wince.

"Ooh, burn." she told him.

"Hey" Flash let out. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Quiet!" Batman demanded.

"Sorry." Kari replied. "You find something?"

He gestured to the screen as he turned up the volume on a news report.

" _... A dangerous hostage situation developing at the federal building_." Snapper Carr reported. " _So far the Ultra Humanite has refused to speak with negotiators. A freak of nature, the Humanite is reported to be a genius who is also extremely dangerous._ "

"That could describe half of the guys in Metropolis." Kari remarked bitterly.

"That enough trouble for you?" Batman asked Flash.

Flash wisely kept his mouth shut as Batman got to his feet.

"Kari, stay here and monitor the situation." He ordered. "And be sure to keep an eye out for Luthor. I have a hunch that he's got a hand in this."

"You got it Batman." she told him. "You guys be careful. Humanite's dangerous enough, but if he and Luthor have teamed up… well, that's just a Molotov cocktail waiting to explode."

Batman nodded, then he, Flash, and Hawkgirl all left the tower.

…

At the Federal building, the police had the entire area cordoned off. Helicopters were flying around the building, trying to get a good vantage point to see inside. The police chief, armed with a megaphone, stepped forward to try to negotiate with Ultra-Humanite.

"Humanite!" the chief called out through the megaphone. "Let one of the hostages go, and I'll let you have one of my men in return."

"What do you take me for, a troglodyte?" Humanite replied, holding a hostage under one arm as he aimed a gun with the other. "No deal!"

The police prepared to open fire, but before the situation could escalate, GL quickly relieved Humanite of his weapon.

"Drop the gun, Magilla!" GL ordered.

Superman then charged right at Humanite, knocking him into the building and forcing him to drop his hostage. Batman quickly landed next to the fallen woman, making sure she was okay before turning to GL.

"Go check for more hostages." Bats commanded.

"On it." GL replied, flying right over Batman.

Batman watched him go, then looked down at the hostage.

"You're safe now." he told her.

The woman chuckled, turning over to reveal herself to be Cheetah in a trench coat.

"But you're not." she taunted before clawing batman across the face.

Inside, GL heard Batman getting taken down and turned to make sure he was okay. This second of distraction was all Grundy needed to catch him off-guard. The zombie busted through the wall, knocking GL aside and covering him in rubble.

Down below, Superman tussled with Humanite, slamming the gorilla right into a wall twice. He pinned him there, then turned as he saw GL come crashing down from the second story. Grundy quickly jumped down on top of him, causing Superman a great deal of distress. It also allowed Star Sapphire a chance to take out the man of steel with a quick blast from her headdress.

"Surprised?" she taunted as Humanite straightened up.

Back outside, Batman recovered from Cheetah's attack and quickly backed away from another claw strike. His cowl and cape were torn, blood running down his cheek from the initial attack, but he was far from out of the game. He deftly avoided an attempted blow from Copperhead, tossing him right into Cheetah. The two villains quickly recovered, landing deftly on their feet before closing in on the Dark Knight.

Superman recovered from Star Sapphire's blow, looking up in time to see Grundy charging at him. He didn't even have a chance to move before Grundy double punched him in the chest. He stumbled backwards, easy prey for the mad zombie. Grundy reduced Superman to a punching bag, striking him over and over again without a chance to recover.

From a high ledge, Lex surveyed the battle, enjoying every second of it.

"I'm going to enjoy this." He remarked.

Grundy got Superman up against a wall, grabbing the Man of Steel by the head. He then smashed him into the ground, rapidly punching him over and over. Before this beating could continue though, Hawkgirl dove through one of the windows, her mace sparking with power. Grundy looked up at her, just in time for her mace to collide with his face. He went flying off of Superman and into a support column, which promptly buried him in rubble.

"Thanks..." Superman told her, groaning in pain.

Batman continued his face-off with Copperhead and Cheetah, throwing the femme fatale over his shoulder. Copperhead moved in for an attack, but Flash speedily punched him away.

"Down boy." He remarked.

Cheetah dove at Batman again, but Diana's lasso caught her around the stomach before she even finished her downward arc.

"Let me go!" she demanded.

"Not on your life, Minerva." Diana replied coldly.

"Take it easy lady." Flash called up. "This will all be over soon."

As Flash sped off to help the other Leaguers, a section of shadows parted, allowing the Shade to emerge.

"That's what you think." Shade taunted, aiming his nightstick at the speedster.

The shadows enveloped Flash, blinding him momentarily and causing him to run full speed into a wall, knocking himself out.

Up above the fray, Star Sapphire and Hawkgirl went at it, the latter using her mace to deflect Sapphire's energy blasts. The two appeared to be at a stalemate, Star Sapphire's power on par with Hawkgirl's, something that didn't go unnoticed by Shade. He fired another shadow at Hawkgirl, which enveloped her and sent her flying back. Shade watched her fall to the ground with sick delight, unfortunately for him, this was enough of a distraction for Batman to run up and kick him in the face. The force of the blow made him drop both his hat, and his nightstick.

Without the stick in his hand, Shade could not keep the shadows around Hawkgirl, so they melted away and freed her. She took a deep breath, clearly glad to be free. Batman went to go to her aid, but a blast from Star Sapphire cut him off. He quickly took out a batarang and threw at Sapphire, nailing her in the head.

Sapphire reeled back, a stray blast striking a large pipe on the roof, severing its supports. It began to fall, and Diana was forced to release Cheetah so she could catch it. She slipped free of the lasso, running off quickly. Diana gave chase, only for Star Sapphire to halt her progress.

Batman surveyed the entire scene, moving from Diana engaged with Sapphire to Humanite tussling with Superman. His eyes then rested on Luthor, who was giving the scene a similar once-over.

"Finish them off!" Lex ordered.

Humanite attempted to obey, ramming Superman into a wall. He then hoisted the Man of Steel over his shoulder, lobbing him across the room. Star Sapphire continued her assault on Diana, but the Amazon Princess just kept deflecting the blows with her bracelets. While this went on, Batman decided to take out the head: Luthor himself.

Seeing the Dark Knight coming, Luthor drew a laser pistol from a holster on his chest. Batman tackled him before he could fire, lifting him to his feet. Lex head-butted him, then delivered a solid left hook across his face. Before Bats could recover, Lex recovered his gun, aiming it right at him with a triumphant smile.

Star Sapphire blasted at Diana some more, but the princess easily ran around the blasts. Upon seeing Batman in danger, she deflected a more powerful beam right at Luthor. It hit the balcony right next to him, sending him flying off the edge.

"There goes our paycheck." Humanite noted, jumping to catch the falling man.

He intercepted him just in time, helping Lex get back on his feet.

"I'd hate to see anything happen to you, Lex." he remarked.

"I'm sure." Lex remarked, walking away.

Batman got back up and started making his way back to the fight. Before he could get far though, Copperhead snuck up from behind him and bit into his shoulder. Batman cried out in pain as he knelt over. Just then, GL blasted Copperhead off of him, causing him to collide with the wall.

"You ok?" GL asked, floating over to him.

"Don't worry about me." Batman told him. "Stop them!"

GL nodded before flying off to rejoin the fight, leaving Batman to collapse to his knees.

Back down below, the fight was starting to fall in the favor of the league, much to the dismay of Lex.

"Luthor, they're too well organized!" Humanite reported before getting punched out by Superman.

Shade backed closer to Luthor as GL tried to blast at him. He quickly shot out a shadow, repelling the green energy.

"Let me get us out of here!" Shade insisted. "It's either that or prison again."

"Alright, just do it!" Luthor screamed.

Shade complied as he shot out a massive shadow at the group, engulfing both hero and villain alike. The shadows poured out of the building, even scattering the cops outside. After a minute, they settled down, and GL was able to eradicate them with his power ring. This revealed that almost all of the villains had escaped.

"They're gone." Hawkgirl cursed.

Flash sped up the stairs to the second floor, where he found an unconscious Copperhead sprawled out on the ground.

"Not all." Flash corrected. "We got one of them."

He then caught sight of Batman right next to him, passed out from Copperhead's poison. The others flew up to join the group, Superman rolling Batman onto his back. The Dark Knight was sweating profusely, groaning in pain.

"But they got one of us." Superman let out.

…

Back on the Watchtower, J'honn, Kari, and Superman stood over a still unconscious Batman. The Dark Knight was no longer sweating, and some color had returned to his cheeks as he laid on a bed in the tower's medical bay.

"The venom antidote seems to be working." J'honn observed.

"Thank God..." Kari sighed in relief. "You had us worried there for a minute, Bats."

Batman groaned a bit, sitting up on the cot.

"What happened to Luthor and the others?" Batman asked.

"They got away." J'honn explained. "All but Copperhead."

"I was about to take Kari down to Stryker's for his interrogation." Superman added. "We just wanted to make sure you were alright before we left."

"Then let's go." Batman said, trying to get up.

Kari placed a hand on his chest, stopping him from rising.

"No way." she insisted. "Your body is still trying to rid itself of the last of the poison."

"You need to stay here and rest." Superman told him. "Regain your full strength, then come help us."

Batman looked at Superman with narrowed eyes.

"I'm fine." he insisted.

"Please Batman, for me?" Kari asked, giving him a pleading look.

He met her eyes, then wordlessly stood up. He pulled the IV out of his wrist, then left the room. The three watched him go, Superman letting out a sigh.

"It was worth a try." J'honn remarked.

"I just hope he doesn't get himself killed." Superman replied.

…

J'honn found Batman not long after that, sitting in front of the tower's computer system. He approached quietly, standing right behind the Dark Knight.

"You really should be resting." the Martian told him.

Batman ignored J'honn, continuing his work.

"I know this must be hard for you." J'honn continued. "Feeling vulnerable. You and Kari are the only ones without special powers, but you don't need to prove yourself. Both of you are valuable members of the League, and we are lucky to-"

"I'm taking the shuttle." Batman declared, rising to his feet and facing J'honn. "Unless you want to try and stop me."

J'honn stared down at Batman, then slid quietly to the side with a barely audible 'no'. Batman walked passed him, exiting the computer room.

…

"The best at what you do." Luthor mocked his makeshift team once they reached their hideout. "What was I thinking?"

"We did everything we could." Cheetah argued.

"Oh really?" Lex countered. "So you fought like your lives depended on it? You fought to the last man? We didn't even manage to take out one member of the Justice League!"

"You get what you pay for, Lex." Shade told him bluntly.

"Are you saying you want more money?!" Luthor guessed. "You want to be rewarded for failure? I oughta take the lot of you and-"

Grundy grabbed him by the throat, cutting off his threat quickly.

"And what?" Grundy snapped.

"Go ahead, do it." Luthor threatened while gasping for air. "You'll be saving me months of bedpans and feeding tubes. And you'll also guarantee that none of you will ever see a penny from me!"

Grundy let out a snort, dropping Luthor onto the ground.

"You're crazy." the zombie remarked.

Just then, the doors were kicked open, causing the villains to turn around and see a familiar and psychotic face.

"And what's wrong with that?" The Joker asked, entering the room. "It's done wonders for me."

Luthor seemed to literally deflate at the sight of the crazed clown entering his hideout.

"Go away." he insisted.

"Oh Lexie I'm hurt." Joker lamented, coming up next to him holding an air horn and wearing a party hat. "How could think of throwing this little party without me?"

"It's not a party." Lex coldly explained. "And you weren't invited because the last time we teamed up, you kidnapped me and tried to ruin me."

"You're not still sore about that are you?" Joker asked. "That was just a bit of harmless fun."

In response, Lex turned to Grundy.

"Get rid of him." He ordered.

Grundy nodded and moved in towards Joker, who just aimed an air horn at him and sprayed some knock out gas in his face. This caused the grey giant to cough a bit before falling over unconscious.

"But seriously Lex, you need me." Joker insisted, discarding his party favors.

"Like I need a skin rash." Lex snarled.

Joker grinned, pulling something off of Luthor's shoulder.

"Maybe so." he allowed, hopping onto the fallen Grundy's back. "But I know something you don't know. I know how the bat thinks."

He then held up a bat-tracker, which was flashing red. Luthor saw the tracker and his eyes widened.

"He's coming..." Lex swore.

…

Sometime later, Batman found the photo store Luthor was held up in and discreetly entered through a skylight. He looked around, then glanced down at the tracker in his hands. The signal was right in front of him, but the entire place seemed empty. He then approached a balcony, looking down to see the six members of Lex's group playing a card game.

"How long we wait?" Grundy questioned, looking at his cards with a bored expression.

"Patience Grundy." Luthor told him. "Patience."

"Grundy no like waiting."

Batman observed the group, unaware of Joker approaching him from behind. The clown then bashed him on the back of the head with a fire extinguisher, knocking him over the edge of the balcony and onto the middle of the table. It split in half beneath him as the villains backed away. They stared down at Batman in surprise as Joker cast the extinguisher aside, giving off one of his trademark maniacal laughs.

…

"Wakey-wakey Batman." Joker said quietly.

The sound of an all too familiar voice, combined with a slap to the face, pulled Batman from his forced slumber. His head was pounding, and he couldn't move a muscle. His entire body seemed to be encased in thick, titanium restraints. There was even some sort of field around him, though from the way Joker's arm phased through it, it wasn't meant to contain him.

"Joker…" Batman let out. "I should have known you'd get involved in this."

"Really?" Joker asked in mock surprise. "I must be falling into a rut. Oh well."

He pulled a pistol out of his jacket, aiming it right at Batman's head. Before he could pull the trigger though, Lex snatched it from his hand.

"What do you think you're doing, clown?" Lex growled out.

"What any person with half a brain, sane or no, would do." Joker replied. "I'm snuffing the Bat once and for all."

"No you're not." Lex snapped. "He stays alive until I say we don't need him anymore."

"Lex, Lex, listen to someone who knows." Joker insisted, putting an arm around Luthor's shoulder. "Don't wait. Kill him now."

"You don't like my decisions? Then leave!" Lex told him, elbowing him in the gut hard.

Joker stumbled back from the blow, giving Lex a glare.

"And people say I'm crazy." He muttered, walking towards the back of the room.

Lex watched him walk away, his eyes drifting over the rest of his team. They were all staring at him, as if silently judging his decision to spare Batman. His eye twitched, then he turned to them all in rage.

"What?!" he shouted. "Those restraints are pure titanium. He'll never get loose. And that stasis field will prevent the Martian from locating him."

He calmed himself down, then approached the captive Batman with a superior smile.

"Now Batman, you must have some sort of pass-key or access code I can use against your friends." He mused. "Where is it?"

Batman didn't answer. In fact, he didn't even move, flinch, or blink. He just stared down at Luthor, unphased even when the man got right in his face. Then, he broke out into a superior smile of his own.

"Guess." He told Luthor, taking the man off-guard.

"Grundy." Lex called out.

Grundy picked up Batman's utility belt, which had been removed upon his capture. He attempted to open one of the pockets, only to end up nearly getting electrocuted. He fell forward, smoke rising off his still form as the belt tumbled from his grasp. Lex picked it up as Joker giggled.

"I told you." He said in a singsong voice.

"Shut up." Lex snapped. "I'll open it myself. Humanite, once Grundy picks himself up, you two will keep an eye on Batman."

Humanite nodded as Grundy groaned in pain. Batman eyed the pair, then watched as the rest of Luthor's group left his prison via elevator. Once they disappeared, he eyed his two guards, coming up with a plan.

"Grundy." He began. "What's Luthor paying you to do this?"

"Money." Grundy answered simply. "Lots of it."

"As much as he's getting?" Batman inquired, nodding in Humanite's direction.

"I dunno." Grundy replied honestly.

Humanite raised an eyebrow, wondering what Batman was planning.

"Look at all you've had to put up with." Batman pointed out. "You should be getting more."

"More than me?" Humanite voiced, waving a hand dismissively before walking away. "Preposterous."

"Is it?" Batman questioned, glancing over at Grundy.

Grundy didn't answer. Instead, he looked over at Humanite, who was sitting in a chair reading the newspaper. He let out a growl, then stalked towards him.

…

Up in a large science center Luthor had set up, the gang watched him lay out Batman's utility belt. He then activated a few machines that began analyzing the belt, trying to figure out how to shut off the anti-burglar defense system. The screen displayed an incredibly intricate design woven into the metal of the belt, turning it into a very powerful defense grid. Luthor couldn't help but crack an appreciative smile.

"Fascinating." he let out.

As if sensing that it was being scanned, the belt began to spark and jump, giving off enough juice to short circuit the entire machine. There was a small explosion before the entire system died out, the belt returning to its dormant state.

"Careful!" Star Sapphire shouted. "Just because you won't live to see old age doesn't mean the rest of us don't want to."

There was a loud bang off in the distance, which drew the attention of the entire group.

"What the devil was that?" Lex demanded.

There was another crash, followed by a grunt of pain that sounded like it came from Humanite. Luthor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I should have known..." he groaned.

…

He and the rest of the group returned to Batman's prison, where Grundy and Humanite were rolling around on the ground in a bit of a wrestling match.

"Unhand me you worthless zombie!" Humanite demanded, trying to pry himself free of Grundy's grip.

"Take that back!" Grundy snarled.

Lex watched the fight, growing ever more annoyed before finally snapping.

"Stop it right now!" he demanded.

Grundy and Humanite ceased their fighting, then Grundy delivered one last smack to Humanite's head before releasing the albino gorilla-man. Lex approached them both, practically livid.

"You imbeciles are killing me faster than the Kryptonite!" he announced.

"Sorry..." The two behemoths apologized in unison.

Lex then turned his attention to Batman, glowering at the Dark Knight.

"You did this, didn't you?!" he demanded.

Batman remained impassive.

"Well, it won't happen again." Lex declared. "Cheetah! You'll watch him! If he causes any more trouble, gag him!"  
Cheetah sauntered over to Batman, letting out a purr as she eyed him. Lex and the rest of the team left the room, leaving to two alone in Bats' cell.

…

Lex made it back down into the lab with the rest of the villains. He made it about five steps in when he was struck by another seizure. He grunted in pain, clutching his chest. Immediately, Humanite rushed to his side as the other villains watched.

"What's wrong?" Sapphire questioned.

"He don't look so good." Grundy remarked.

Lex struggled to regain his composure, taking a few deep breaths to alleviate the pain.

"Maybe we should get paid now." Shade suggested, a bit worried about his payday.

Lex sneered at him before straightening up.

"I'm fine..." he insisted. "Now get out! I've got work to do."

After a moment of hesitation, the villains left. Almost immediately after, the pain flared up again. Lex winced badly as Humanite brought him a stool, urging him to sit down.

"They're right you know." he told the man, urging him to sit. "You don't look good."

"Can't… give up now..." Lex wheezed. "I just need to buy more time… Can't you help?"

Humanite mulled it over, doing some calculations in his head.

"Perhaps." he allowed. "But..."

"But what?" Lex snarled.

"But it will cost extra." Humanite answered.

Lex let out an angry growl, but submitted out of desperation.

…

At Stryker's Island, Superman, Kari, and Flash were in the midst of interrogating Copperhead, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"Look, I told you, I don't know anything!" Copperhead insisted. "I'm just a-"

"Victim of circumstance." Flash said at the same time. "We know. We've heard it before."

"Listen Copperhead, we're not asking for much." Kari insisted. "All we want to know is where Luthor's base of operations is located."

"Sorry sweet-cheeks, but like I've been saying, I don't know anything." Copperhead told her.

Fed up, Superman went up to Copperhead, picked him up, and slammed him against the wall.

"Listen here, Copperhead." He growled. "You can either talk to her, or you can talk to me. And trust me, she's got a lot more patience than I do."

Copperhead snorted, shaking his head.

"If you're supposed to be the bad cop, then you guys must be truly desperate." he commented.

"I'm warning you..." Superman let out, reeling back his fist.

"Look Super-Boy Scout, you ain't got what it takes to be the bad cop." Copperhead informed him. "You're too much of a goodie two-shoes, and everyone knows it. My advice, leave intimidation to the Bat-freak."

"Superman, put him down." Kari insisted. "This isn't working."

Superman obliged and dropped Copperhead.

"Guards!" He called out.

A pair of guards came in, picking Copperhead up off the ground.

"This interview is over." Superman told them.

They led him off, the two heroes and Kari watching with exasperated expressions.

"Well that's two hours of my life I just wasted." Kari remarked, sagging in her chair.

"How does Batman do it?" Superman asked.

…

"And then what happened?" Batman asked.

"My research finally paid off." Cheetah continued, weaving the tale of her current form. "I had found solid proof of the existence of Amazons. This was long before your Wonder Woman ever stepped off of her enchanted isle. I followed what I believed to be the route they followed, unaware I had it backwards. What's worse, once Diana's identity as Princess of the Amazons became public, there was no more need for my research. I was… disheartened to say the least."

"So you found another myth to crack." Batman mused.

"Yes..." Cheetah replied. "I was part of an expedition into Africa, sent to investigate the plant god Urzkartaga. I found him, and he forced me to marry him, transforming me into this… thing. Your Wonder Woman promised to protect me, but she abandoned me in my time of need."

"So you swore revenge on her." Batman pieced together.

"Yes." Cheetah confirmed. "It's because of her I'm this freak."

"I don't see it that way." Batman replied. "I see a woman willing to sacrifice everything for the work she believed in."

Cheetah looked up at Batman, giving him a kind smile.

"You're the first person to see me as more than just this beast." she told him.

"I have a knack for seeing the human side of monsters." He told her.

Cheetah chuckled at that.

"I suppose you do have a lot of practice." she allowed, sauntering ever closer to the Bat. "But you should be careful. Some monsters bite."

"I've never shied away from danger before." Batman flirted.

"Have you?" she flirted right back.

"Never." he whispered.

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Cheetah reached up and kissed the Dark Knight passionately on the lips.

…

Luthor continued his work on Batman's utility belt, Humanite helping any way he could. Joker paced back and forth in the lab, eying the elevator to Batman's cell.

"She's been down there too long." he mused.

"Forget it." Luthor turned down. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone with him."

"But Lexie, where's your sense of fun?" Joker questioned, spinning around in a rolling chair. "Besides, it won't cost you a cent."

"Humanite, go relieve Cheetah." Lex ordered, fed up with Joker but seeing his point.

"Can't you send Grundy?" Humanite inquired.

"Just do what I say!" Lex snapped.

Humanite's fists clenched, marching towards the elevator.

"It's your funeral." he said nonchalantly over his shoulder.

As Humanite left, Luthor returned to his work, Joker looking over his shoulder the entire time. Batman's belt began to spark once again, jumping up and down on the table before finally settling down. This time, all of the lids on the pouches opened up, revealing their contents.

"Finally." Lex said happily, running over to the belt.

Joker grinned at the thought of rummaging through Batman's belt, scooting his chair over to Lex as the man dumped out the belt. Several batarangs, gas grenades, trackers and small tools fell out as Lex continued rummaging through it.

"What are you looking for Lex?" Joker asked. "Bat car keys? Bat breath mints?"

The clown then picked up one of the batarangs, lobbing it at a crate. It fizzled for a moment, then exploded. Lex ducked behind his work table to avoid the blast, and Joker's chair was sent spinning out of control.

"Careful you idiot!" Lex chastised, lifting the belt up in anger before his eyes caught something hidden deep in one of the pockets. "Wait… I found it."

He pulled it out, revealing it to be a handheld remote control, one that Batman used to access the watchtower.

"What?" Joker asked.

"The key to our victory." Luthor replied.

…

Sometime later, Grundy, Sapphire, and Shade were all flying up towards the watchtower, Star Sapphire encasing the other two in a force field. Grundy carried a briefcase in his hand, making sure to hold it carefully.

"Woah," He let out. "Grundy not like heights."

"Hang on, we're almost there." Sapphire assured the zombie.

As they approached, Shade used the remote to open the hangar bay doors so they could enter.

…

Up in the crow's nest, J'honn was on monitor duty when he got the alert that someone was returning. He assumed it was Superman, Flash, and Kari, but when he glanced over at the security monitors, he was surprised to find the Javelin nowhere in sight. Instead, he saw Star Sapphire and her two companions flying into the hanger bay.

"Intruders." he declared, hitting the alarm before flying down towards them.

He got down into the hanger bay, seeing the villains nowhere in sight. Narrowing his eyes, he flew around, trying to find them before they could cause any trouble. As he landed, the world around him was enveloped in black. Before he could properly react, Grundy attacked.

Armed with special goggles that allowed them to see in Shade's shadows, he made easy prey of J'honn, striking him over and over again without giving him a chance to recover. J'honn soon fell, and Shade withdrew the shadows, unveiling the group.

"Well done, Grundy." Shade complimented. "Shall we get to work?"

Grundy grinned as he held up the suitcase.

...

Kari, Superman, and Flash all made their way towards the Javelin, meeting up with Hawkgirl, Diana, and GL.

"Still no word from J'honn?" Diana questioned.

"Not since the alarm." Kari answered. "I'm a little worried."

"Something's definitely wrong." Hawkgirl agreed. "I can feel it."

"Then let's go." GL insisted.

Everyone climbed aboard the Javelin, Superman placing Kari in the pilot's seat as they took off for the tower.

…

Humanite read a newspaper as he stood watch over Batman, silence filling the cell. After a moment, Joker entered the room, rolling in a TV on a cart with his trademark grin on his face.

"It's Showtime!" he declared, setting up the TV right in front of Bats. "Live and in color, 'The End of the Justice League'."

"Don't make me laugh." Batman retorted, his expression never changing.

"No, no, this isn't a joke, for once." Joker insisted. "You see, we've planted a little surprise in your little club house, and once your chums get there… Kablooie!"

Batman blinked at that, then Joker held up a bowl of popcorn.

"Popcorn?" He offered, only to be met with Batman's usual icy stare. "Oh well, more for me."

He tossed a kernel into his mouth as Humanite looked over his shoulder in disgust.

"Joker, you nauseate me." he informed the clown.

He then got up and exited the room, much to Joker's faux disappointment.

"Too bad." he lamented. "He's going to miss the show. And the sequel."

"What sequel?" Batman questioned.

"After the bomb gets your friends, I get you." Joker answered, poking the side of Batman's head before breaking out into a fit of laughter.

…

The Javelin approached the Watchtower, pulling into the docking bay as fast as possible. Once Kari set the Javelin down, Flash rushed her into her chair and the entire league poured off the ship. Once they did, a soft groan was heard off to the side.

"J'honn!" Kari cried out.

Flash rushed her over as the others gathered around. Seeing the state of her friend, Kari gasped in horror.

"Is he-?" she choked.

"He's alive." Flash informed her. "A bit black and blue, but he'll live."

"What could have done this?" Diana questioned.

"I'll take him to the medical bay." Superman told them. "Kari, you're with me. The rest of you, find Batman."

He flew off with J'honn in hand and Kari in tow. The rest of the league scattered, unaware of the beeping suitcase hidden behind some supply carts.

…

Back at Luthor's hideout, he and the rest of his cohorts were watching the same broadcast Joker was taunting Batman with.

"Any minute now." Lex muttered eagerly. "Any minute."

"And then we get paid, right?" Shade questioned.

"Can't you let me savor this one moment?!" Luthor growled.

"Sorry." Shade apologized quickly.

Luthor settled back to watch the broadcast, as did the rest of the villains.

…

J'honn laid on one of the beds in the medical bay, Kari holding his hand with a worried expression. Superman looked over his vitals, looking a bit worried as the rest of the League came in.

"We searched everywhere." Hawkgirl reported. "Batman's gone."

"And so is the shuttle." GL added.

A phone next to J'honn's bed began to ring, drawing everyone's attention.

"What do you wanna bet that's him?" Flash asked.

Kari picked it up, answering the call.

"Hello?" she greeted, then her eyes widened as the called began speaker. "There's a what? Who is this?"

The line went dead, and she quickly hung up the phone.

"It wasn't Batman, but someone just warned me there was a bomb up here." she explained.

"You're kidding, right?" Flash questioned.

"No." Superman insisted. "That's a secure line."

"Well what are we waiting for?" GL asked. "Spread out and search for it!"

The league all scattered across the tower, searching high and low for the bomb. Flash sped to several locations looking for the bomb, but was coming up empty.

"Nope." He reported as he sped to each place. "Zilch. Nada. Nothing."

Wonder Woman lifted several pieces of heavy equipment out of the way, searching below it.

"Nothing here either." she reported.

Hawkgirl flew up to the top of the tower, looking it over.

"Upper levels are clear." she declared.

Superman scanned the area with his X-Ray vision, seeing if the bomb was hidden in the walls or the vent system. But even that came up negative.

"Nothing up on this deck." He called out.

"Keep looking!" GL ordered as he scanned over the hanger bay with his ring.

As he bathed the hanger in the green rays, he detected a set of footprints that didn't match any member of the League.

"Wait, I've got a thermal pattern." he announced, following the tracks. "It's faint, but-"

He cut himself off when he found Grundy's suitcase.

"Flash!" he shouted.

Flash materialized over by GL.

"I'm on it!" he declared, barely slowing down long enough to grab the suitcase.

He ran it towards the hanger doors as Superman slammed his hand down on the open button. The doors slowly slid open, the vacuum of space sucking the briefcase out of Flash's hand. It made it out of the tower before promptly exploding.

…

Luthor stood up in his seat, giving a maniacal grin that almost rivaled Joker's as he saw the explosion ring out.

"Yes!" he cheered.

His levity was short lived as the smoke cleared, revealing the Watchtower without so much as a scorch mark.

"NO!" He screamed, slamming his fists down on the arms of his chair. "It's not fair! They should be cosmic dust!"

In his rage, Lex literally picked up the chair he was sitting on, lobbing it at the screen. The screen shattered on impact as Lex heaved to catch his breath.

"Luthor, calm down." Cheetah insisted. "Your condition-"

"What do you care?" Lex interjected. "You're all just a bunch of incompetent, money grubbing crooks!"

"That's it." Star Sapphire declared. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm out of here."

She then got up and flew towards the door, Cheetah following after her.

"Me too." She declared as she joined Star Sapphire in the elevator.

Grundy and Shade silently got up and followed them, done with dealing with Luthor. Lex watched them go, a wave of panic washing over him. He stepped forward, nearly stumbling forward as pain lanced through his chest.

"Wait!" he grunted, clutching his chest and trying desperately to stay on his feet. "I'll double your pay!"

"What's the point?" Sapphire questioned. "It's over."

"No, we can still win if we lure them here!" Lex insisted. "I've got a plan, but we have to stick together!"

"Grundy not that dumb." The zombie noted, closing the doors of the elevator.

The pain was becoming too much and he fell to his knees.

"Alright…" he wheezed. "Triple!"

The door stopped seconds before it fully closed. Then it lifted back up again, revealing the intrigued faces of the four villains.

…

Kari closed her cellphone, tucking it into her pocket.

"No good." She informed the League. "The line's dead."

"He's not answering his comms either." Hawkgirl reported.

"Whoever's behind this attack must have done something to Batman." Superman guessed. "But who-?"

"Star Sapphire, the Shade, and Solomon Grundy." J'honn answered, slowly sitting up on the cot.

"J'honn, you're okay!" Kari cheered, throwing her arms around him.

He returned the hug in kind, addressing the rest of the League.

"I saw them coming in through the hanger bay." He reported. "The computer reported an authorized entry, so they must have stolen a transmitter for the door."

"Batman's." Kari rationalized.

…

In Batman's cell, Joker eyed the screen with an air of disappointment.

"Aww, they ruined the punchline." He lamented.

He then casually tipped over the cart, knocking over the TV and breaking it. Batman watched it fall into a pile of sparking bit of machinery and glass, then he looked over at Joker.

"But I can still have my fun." Joker continued, pulling out a straight razor from his pocket.

He approached Batman, grabbing his chin and running the blade along his cheek playfully. In response, Batman head-butted him hard, sending him flying back and his knife skittering across the ground. Joker quickly recovered, rubbing his forehead irritably.

"Not funny, Bats." He growled.

He went to recover his knife and end Batman, but Grundy's hand caught him on the arm and pulled him back with a yelp. Joker recovered from the pull, Grundy's grip never breaking.

"Luthor no want you alone with him." Grundy informed the clown.

"Oh come on Grundy, old pal." Joker attempted to bargain. "What's a couple of nicks between friends?"

"Go away." Grundy demanded, pushing Joker towards the door.

Joker stumbled forward, catching himself before adjusting his suit coat.

"Party pooper." He insulted before walking out.

"Thank you." Batman told Grundy, surprising the zombie. "If you hadn't come along when you did… Can I have some water?"

Grundy found the request odd, but harmless.

"Okay." He answered.

He grabbed a paper cup off of a nearby water cooler, filling it. He then brought it over to Batman, holding it up so he could drink from it. Batman took a generous swig, then tilted his head back and spat the water at the stasis field generator. It sparked and fizzled, then cut out altogether. Grundy looked up at it, tugging on the collar of his shirt.

"Thanks." Batman told him.

"Uh-oh…" Grundy let out.

Batman then closed his eyes, doing his best to broadcast his thoughts.

" _J'honn!_ " he mentally shouted. " _J'honn, can you hear me?_ "

…

Up in the Watchtower, J'honn's eyes flew open as he connected mentally with Batman. He sat up on his cot, turning to the rest of the League as they continued to try and contact Batman.

"I know where he is." He declared.

Not wasting any time questioning where or how, everyone immediately made a bee-line for the Javelin.

…

Lex laid down on the work table in the science room, Humanite scanning him with an array of sensors to learn everything he could about Luthor's condition. He then began fiddling with various dials and levers until the energy output of the table was literally lifting Lex up off of it. He then pulled a switch, opening a panel in the table that brought out what looked like the back half of a green metal jacket, lining it up with the suspended Luthor.

Once the piece was in place, Humanite flipped a second switch, and the other have of this metal jacket lowered over Luthor's torso. They clicked into place, then Humanite hit one final switch. There was a large input of power, which caused Luthor to cry out in pain, bucking on the table. This went on for a few minutes, then it died down as Humanite turned off the machine. Luthor fell onto the table, a trio of lights on his new vest glowing bright green.

"What did you do to him?" Cheetah questioned.

"I merely installed this containment suit." Humanite explained. "It should stabilize his condition. The next few minutes will tell."

About that time, Grundy came running into the room, looking more than a little scared and upset.

"Mr. Luthor!" he shouted. "Mr. Luthor! Batman broke that… static thingy!"

"He's probably already contacted the Martian." Humanite guessed. "They'll be here soon."

"What're we gonna do?" Grundy questioned.

"Not panic, for one." Luthor answered, getting up off the table. "We'll be ready for them, once we get rid of the traitor."

"Traitor?" Cheetah questioned.

"Think about it." Lex told her. "The only way the League could have found the bomb, or even known about it, was if someone warned them about it. One of us."

He grabbed a remote off of a nearby cabinet, approaching an array of security monitors.

"Fortunately, this old place still has operating surveillance cameras." He mused, turning them on.

Several cracked TV screens flickered on, revealing hours of recorded footage across the store, including down in Batman's cell. Luthor hit the rewind button, watching the various interactions of the villains with the captive crime fighter, stopping when he reached Cheetah's passionate kiss. Luthor's eyes narrowed at that, turning to Cheetah accusingly.

"You're joking, right?" Cheetah questioned, looking slightly nervous as she tried to back away. "I may have kissed him, but I didn't betray you."

She backed right into Grundy, which stopped her in her tracks. Lex glared at her, then nodded to Grundy.

"Restrain her!" he demanded.

Grundy tried to do so, but Cheetah quickly kicked him in the gut, knocking him back. She then vaulted over him to the elevator. It opened, revealing Joker inside. He nearly caught her by surprise, attempting to grab her with his hand zapper. Luckily for her, she ducked under the hand, then tossed him out of the elevator, hitting the up button.

"Screw you all!" she shouted. "I hope the league tears you to pieces."

With that, the doors closed and she disappeared.

"Should we go after her?" Shade questioned.

"Leave her." Lex replied. "We have bigger fish to fry."

…

Outside the picture store, Cheetah bolted out the door, planning to put as much distance between herself and Luthor's gang. Before she could get too far, she was surrounded by a bubble of green energy and suspended of the ground. She struggled in her new confines as she was pulled onto the roof of an adjacent building, where the League was waiting.

"Minerva." Diana greeted.

"Wonder Woman." Cheetah remarked coldly. "If you're looking for the rest of my former allies, they're inside."

"What about Batman?" Flash questioned.

"Him too." She answered.

"You're being oddly cooperative." GL remarked.

"Luthor sicced that zombie on me." Cheetah explained. "Between you and me, I think that gives me plenty of reason to be cooperative."

"Cat's got a point." Flash noted.

"Indeed." J'honn agreed, reaching a hand through GL's bubble and inducing sleep on Cheetah.

Once Cheetah slipped into unconsciousness, GL set her down on the roof as Superman wrapped a flagpole around her to prevent her from escaping. With that done, everyone looked over the edge of the building, surveying the picture store.

"If Luthor and his cronies are going after one of their own, then this situation is getting more volatile by the minute." Superman remarked.

"Good thing we left Kari up in the tower, huh." Flash quipped.

"This situation is more than volatile, it's a hostage situation." GL added. "We go in there, and they may try to use Batman as a shield."

"Not if I can help it." J'honn declared, turning intangible and phasing through the ground.

"J'honn wait-!" Superman tried to stop him, only to have his request fall on deaf ears as the Martian slipped off.

…

Down in Batman's cell, Humanite was back on guard duty. He paced back and forth anxiously, seemingly unaware of the Martian slipping through the wall. He approached Batman as quietly as he could, remaining half way intangible.

"Batman." He whispered.

Batman turned to J'honn in a panic.

"J'honn, don't!" he shouted.

His shouts drew Humanite's attention, the gorilla-man growling when his eyes locked onto J'honn. The Martian flew at him, but found himself being stabbed through the chest with an electrical staff. Even in his intangible form, the electricity wracked his body and sent him flying backwards. He landed on the ground, fully tangible and barely conscious.

Up in the science room, Lex and the other villains watched J'honn's defeat with a collection of grins.

"And so it begins." Lex announced.

…

Outside, Hawkgirl gripped her mace as she eyed the door.

"Times up." She decided. "Now we do it my way."

She powered up her mace and soared down towards the building. The others quickly followed after her, also tired of waiting. Hawkgirl then smashed right through the front doors, allowing the League access inside. The villains were there waiting for them, and they all engaged in battle.

Star Sapphire shot a ray of energy at Flash, catching the speedster in the stomach before sending him flying. He collided with Hawkgirl, both of them going down. GL saw this and summoned up a blast of his own, taking on Star Sapphire head on. As the two began duking it out, Superman plowed right into Grundy, sending both of them crashing through a wall.

Hawkgirl recovered from her run in with Flash, powering up her mace to go after Shade. He shot a blanket of shadows right at her, catching her in it like it was a net. She fell, plowing right into an old statue of the Wonder Twins.

"One down." Shade said with a grin.

Wonder Woman's lasso came down, wrapping around Shade's nightstick and pulling it from his grasp. Seeing the approaching Wonder Woman, Joker attempted to make a break for it. In response, she slipped the nightstick out of her lasso, then quickly captured the clown in her rope. She landed on the ground for a better hold on Joker, and Shade took the chance to try and reclaim his nightstick. In response, Diana used the stick to strike Shade right in the stomach before twisting it in her grasp and bringing it down on the back of his head.

With Shade dealt with, she discarded the nightstick and began reeling Joker in as if he was a wayward bull. He stumbled forward a few steps, then pulled something from his coat before tossing it at Wonder Woman.

"Catch!" he shouted.

Wonder Woman caught it with her free hand, revealing the object to be a small doll. It let out a small, automated cry of 'mama', then exploded in Diana's hands. She flew backward, losing her grip on her lasso as she did. This allowed Joker to easily escape from it, but before he could make any use of his freedom, Superman and Grundy came crashing through the wall behind him.

While Joker was left to be tossed about like a ragdoll, Superman plowed Grundy into a staircase, shattering the first set. The zombie rubbed his head in pain, then got to his feet and swung. Superman ducked under the blow, delivering a few of his own. Grundy went flying into a large duck statue, knocking it over. He turned and picked it up, lobbing it at the Man of Steel, but Superman easily broke it in half.

Flying above all of this, Star Sapphire and GL were still going at it, their equal power putting them at a stalemate.

"It's a shame you're not Hal Jordon." Sapphire lamented. "I would enjoy this far more if you were."

"Sorry to disappoint, lady." GL commented before seeing something behind Sapphire. "Duck!"

Sapphire thought he was being funny, but then the top half of Grundy's duck statue collided with her hard. GL winced as she landed, though he had a smile on his face.

"Tried to warn you." He told her now unconscious form.

Shade recovered from Wonder Woman's assault, lifting his nightstick and aiming it at GL. Before he could attack, Flash zipped up right next to him.

"Lights out, Shade!" he taunted before decking the villain across the face.

He went flying back into Hawkgirl, who quickly divested him of his nightstick once again before hitting him in the gut with it. Then, just as Wonder woman before her, she whacked him on the head with it. As an added measure, she broke the stick over her, dropping the pieces on the ground in front of shade.

Meanwhile, Grundy and Superman were still going at it, the latter maintaining victory over the zombie. Joker watched the fight, then noticed Flash rushing close to help the man of steel. With a trademark grin, Joker pulled some marbles from his pockets, scattering them across the ground. Flash stepped on them, causing them to explode and propel him up into the air. He bounced off a display case and into the wall, sliding down with a groan.

As Joker lorded over the fallen Flash, Superman shoved Grundy through yet another wall. It finally seemed to do the trick as Grundy did not get back up. He groaned a bit and tried to, but Superman planted his boot down on the zombie's chest.

"Enough!" Superman snapped. "Where's Luthor?"

"Right here!" Luthor declared from behind Superman.

Superman turned towards the sound of Luthor's voice, but was blasted in the back before he had a chance to properly react. He landed hard, his back burning in a way only kryptonite based weapons could. He looked up to see Luthor approaching him in a green exo-suit, his arms raised and smoking from whatever weapon Luthor had fired.

"And I'm gonna enjoy every minute of this." He declared.

Superman tried to stand, but his strength had all but left him. He leaned against the wall, just trying to catch his breath as Luthor closed in on him.

"Why so surprised, Superman?" Luthor questioned mockingly. "It's a basic rule of business. Turn every weakness into a strength."

He fired two green beams of energy out of the palms of his hands, striking Superman in the chest. The man of steel howled in agony, writhing under Lex's power. Lex chuckled darkly, unaware of Humanite approaching from behind him.

"Of course, that's a lesson you will not live to appreciate." Lex taunted.

"Neither will you, Lex." Humanite told him before stabbing the back of the suit with the same taser stick he used on J'honn.

Lex screamed in pain, the beams of kryptonite energy dying off as he fell to his knees. His suit sparked and fizzed as he struggled to stay upright.

"Et tu, Humanite?" Lex spat before finally losing the battle against unconsciousness.

Humanite looked down at Luthor, shaking his head slightly. Just then, GL came up behind him, aiming his power ring right at the gorilla. Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl flew next to him, prepared to act as back-up.

"Don't move!" GL commanded.

Humanite willingly dropped his stick, raising his arms above his head.

"I surrender." He declared.

…

Over off to the side, far from where the rest of the fallen villains had been gathered, Joker watched Humanite's surrender with a fair amount of surprise.

"Whoopsie." He let out. "Time to run."

He prepared to bolt, then remembered something that returned his smile to his face.

"But not before I take care of one last piece of business." He decided.

Careful not to get spotted by the heroes, Joker made his way down to Batman's cell, a pistol in hand so he could kill the Dark Knight. As he entered the cell, he was shocked to find the restraints open and empty, Batman nowhere to be found. Joker's eyes went wide as he examined the restraints in disbelief.

"What?!" he exclaimed.

He aimed the gun around the room, the shadow of Batman passing behind him as he did. As he came full circle, the crazed clown came face to face with Batman. To his credit, he did not yelp in fear. Instead, he raised his gun to shoot, only to have it batted out of his hand without any effort. He tried to throw a punch, but Batman easily caught his fist. He then delivered a punch of his own, sending Joker reeling back.

"No fair!" Joker whined. "How'd you get free?"

"I could've escaped anytime." Batman answered. "But I thought I'd stick around and keep an eye on you clowns."

He then delivered another punch to Joker's face that had the clown seeing stars. He stumbled back and forth, raising a shaking finger at Batman.

"You're despicable…" he let out, a slight daffy duck-esque lisp to his voice.

He then fell flat on his face, eliciting a smirk from the usually grim vigilante.

…

Batman joined the rest of the League outside the store as each of the villains was escorted onto a prison van. As he approached, J'honn held out his belt for him.

"I tried to reassemble it the way you had it, but your equipment was scattered everywhere." He informed Batman.

"I'll rearrange it later." Batman assured him, putting the belt around his waist. "Thanks."

"Your transmitter's in there too." Hawkgirl explained. "I pulled it off Shade."

"Nice work." He complimented.

Humanite and Luthor were the last villains to be escorted onto the van. As the duo passed by the heroes, Humanite came to a stop right in front of Batman.

"Wait." He insisted before turning to the Dark Knight. "You'll keep our bargain?"

"Yes." Batman promised. "Double what Luthor was paying."

Humanite smiled as he was pushed into the van. Cheetah looked at him, then turned to Luthor with an angry hiss.

"I told you it wasn't me." She snarled.

"Oh shut up…" Luthor growled back as the doors of the van slammed shut.

As the van drove off, Flash glanced over at Batman with a curious look.

"What was that all about?" he questioned.

Batman just gave a knowing smile.

…

That night in Stryker's Island, Humanite sat in his cell watching his favorite opera program. In the cell next to him, Luthor paced across the ground, covering his ears in a vain attempt to drown out the noise. With an ever growing growl, he banged against the wall connecting their cells in rage.

"Humanite!" he howled. "You'll pay for this, you turncoat! Do you hear me?! You'll pay!"

Humanite simply turned the volume up on his program, leaning back in appreciation as a message came on the screen.

" _This program was made possible by a grant from the Ultra-Humanite, and viewers like you. Thank you._ "


	6. Paradise Lost

Rain poured down in buckets as the wind howled like a banshee. Waves battered the pier of Beach City as lightning lit up the night sky. A few stray people ran for cover, their umbrellas flying out of their hands. One man running a local news stand lost most of his merchandise as he closed up shop to seek shelter. The winds became so strong that they ripped the stand right out of the ground.

Further down on the pier, Snapper Carr stood clad in a rain poncho, reporting on the ever-growing natural disaster.

" _As feared, Tropical Storm Gardener has been upgraded to Hurricane Gardener!_ " he announced over the howling winds. " _Metropolis residents are warned to take immediate shelter. Roads are open to emergency vehicles only._ "

…

Up in the Watchtower, J'honn and Kari sat in the monitor room, watching Snapper Carr's report as well as rescue efforts being performed by the rest of the league. She had a box of Oreos in her lap and was munching on one.

"Looks like Batman's prediction was right, again." She remarked, swallowing the rest of her cookie before grabbing another. "Glad I decided to bunk up here until the storm passed."

"Yes." J'honn said with a nod. "It is… nice to have company up here."

Kari chuckled, then held out an Oreo for him. He took it, looking at it curiously before popping it into his mouth. His eyes widened slightly, and a smile graced his usually stoic face.

"These are good." He commented.

"Help yourself." She offered, sliding the box between the two of them. "There's plenty."

He reached for another as the two resumed watching the monitors.

…

Back down in Metropolis, a lone fire truck was making its way down the rainy streets of Beach City, responding to a call for an overturned vehicle. The driver turned to his partner, shaking his head.

"It never rains, but it pours." he remarked.

As they kept driving, the wind uprooted a nearby stop sign. It went flying towards the fire truck, crashing through the windshield. Both occupants of the fire truck panicked, the driver losing control of the large truck. It went skidding across an overpass, barreling through the safety railing before dangling halfway over the ledge.

"Out the back!" the driver yelled. "Hurry!"

His partner tried to take the driver's advice, but the truck lurched forward before he even had a chance to try. They fell over the side, screaming the entire way. Thankfully, a blur of red and blue shot past them, catching the front of the truck. The blur revealed himself to be Superman, who slowly lifted the truck up with one hand, using the other to catch the free-falling partner. Aiding him was Wonder Woman, her lasso wrapped around the base of the truck.

"Hold on!" she called out to Superman as the two of them slowly lowered the truck to the ground.

"That was close." The partner remarked.

"You two ok?" Superman asked.

"A little worse for wear, but okay." the driver informed him, jumping out of the truck.

Superman smiled at them, an expression that was mirrored by Wonder Woman as she gathered up her lasso.

"Mommy!" a little girl's voice cried out.

Wonder Woman turned in shock, seeing a little girl clinging to the branch of a nearby tree. She was screaming in fear as the high winds threatened to uproot her. Slowly the tree began to pull free from the ground. Seeing this, Wonder Woman zoomed towards the girl, grabbing her before her tree could fully begin falling.

"I've got you, little sister." she told the girl.

"You're not my sister." the girl informed her.

Wonder Woman just smiled, then took the girl down in front of a nearby apartment. There, a woman who looked like an older version of the girl looked up at the pair in release.

"Cassie!" the woman, clearly Cassie's mother, cried out in relief.

Wonder Woman set Cassie down on the apartment's stoop, allowing her to run into her mother's arms.

"Mommy!" she shouted, hugging her mother tightly.

"Don't ever run off like that again." her mother begged. "I was scared to death!"

"Sorry, mommy." Cassie apologized.

The mother just hugged her daughter again.

"I'm just glad you're safe." she said quietly, carrying her daughter inside.

Wonder Woman watched the scene, her mind taking her back to a lifetime ago. Back when she was a child on Themyscira, and her mother was a constant figure in her life. These thoughts distracted her as a traffic light began shaking violently. Superman saw this and flew over to push her out of the way before it fell on top of her. The two landed a few feet away as Superman set her down.

"What happened?" He asked. "You're usually more careful than that."

"I'm sorry." she apologized. "I was just… thinking."

"About what?" Superman asked.

"My mother." she explained. "She used to say the planets revolved around me. She called me her little sun and stars."

She looked away, a guilty expression on her face.

"When I left Themyscira to stop the Imperium, it was against her wishes." she added. "I can only imagine what I've put her through."

"Then maybe you should go back and set things right." Superman suggested.

"What would I even say to her?" She questioned.

"Try the truth." He replied.

She sighed, rubbing her arms nervously.

"If only it were that easy." she lamented before taking a deep breath. "But you're right. I can't put it off any longer."

"Take the Javelin." Superman offered. "And good luck."

"Thank you, Superman." Wonder Woman told him.

With that, she turned and flew off towards the Javelin. Superman watched her go, then returned to his relief efforts.

...

Inside the Javelin, Diana flew across the ocean towards her native homeland. As she did, she tried to think of what she was going to tell her mother once she got back.

"You look more radiant than ever, Mother." she tried before frowning. "No."

She thought for a moment, then tried again.

"Gone Mother?" she asked, feigning ignorance. "I didn't go anywhere. I was in my room. Alone. For eight months."

She shook her head.

"Definitely not." she decided before coming up with one more idea. "The world was in peril! Would you have me stand by and do nothing?!"

She just sat there for a moment, sighing in defeat.

"Hera give me strength." she begged.

...

It was several more hours before the shores of Themyscira came into view. A smile graced Diana's face as she caught glimpse of her homeland for the first time in months.

"Home at last." She marveled, but something cut off those moments of happiness and replaced them with dread. "What…?"

Themyscira was in flames, smoke filling the sky as the majestic temples and gardens burned. Boats were sinking in the harbor, torn beyond repair. With a horrified look on her face, Diana landed the Javelin, quickly making her way out onto the island. As she looked around at the carnage and devastation that had fallen upon the island, some familiar figures amidst the smoke caught her eye.

"Sisters!" she cried, out, running to their side.

Once she pierced the smoke, she came to a halt, gasping in fright. The amazons she had seen had been reduced to stone statues, frozen in battle formation.

"By the goddess…" she let out in horror.

As she continued scouting the island, she found even more amazons, all of them under the same petrification spell as the first. From their various poses, it was clear a great battle had occurred. Instinctively, she turned to the temple of Hippolyta.

"Mother." She dreaded.

Forgoing walking, Diana flew into the temple, praying to the entire pantheon that her greatest fear would not come true. She was not in their grace that day, for when she entered the temple, she found her mother's frozen form. Like all the other amazons, she was petrified in a battle pose, an expression of rage and determination etched on her stone face.

"Mother!" She let out in despair, kneeling before Hippolyta's stone form. "No… I should have been here. I should have…"

She cut herself off as she caught sight of a shield on the ground beside her mother. In the reflection, she saw a man in blue robes approaching from behind, a sinister smile on his face. She quickly grabbed the shield and threw it at the man, knocking him to the ground. She turned to him, angry tears still streaming down his face.

"Who are you?!" she demanded.

The man muttered something under his breath, bright pink light gathering in his palm. He shot it right at Diana, forcing her to block the attacks. After dodging and evading several blasts from the strange man, she managed to vault over him, picking up a fallen column and throwing it at him. He barely ducked under it, managing to get hit in the head as he fell to the ground. Just as he got back up, Diana ran up and punched him in the face, sending him flying right into the settling column. Diana then grabbed him by the front of his robe.

"How dare you defile this sacred ground!" she shouted.

As she readied another punch, the man threw up his hands.

"Wait!" He yelled. "Harm me, and they will remain as they are. Cold, hard stone."

Diana stayed her hand but shoved the man hard into the column.

"Who are you?!" she demanded again. "Talk!"

"My name is Faust." He introduced. "Felix Faust. I am but a humble student of the mystic arts."

"Why did you attack my sisters?" Diana questioned.

"They left me no choice." Faust answered. "I had to defend myself."

Diana yanked him up, suspending him several inches off the ground with a single arm.

"By turning them to stone?!" she snarled.

"I came here in pursuit of ultimate knowledge." he explained. "To do this, I must find the pieces of an ancient, sacred relic. The first piece was here on this island."

Suspicious, but with no other leads, Diana glared at the man.

"Go on." she insisted.

"I'll make you a deal." Faust offered. "I'll restore your sisters, if you help me get the other fragments."

"Why should I believe you?" Diana asked.

Rather than waste words, Faust merely summoned a stone medallion in to his palm. It had a carving of Medusa on it and hummed with power. He aimed it at Hippolyta, a knowing smirk on his face.

"A small demonstration." He offered.

After reciting an incantation, the amulet's eyes glowed, as did Hippolyta's stone form. Suddenly, the stone faded away, revealing the flesh and blood Hippolyta. She collapsed as the spell ended, her sword tumbling from her grasp as she fell to her knees. Forgetting about Faust for a moment, Diana rushed to her mother's side.

"Mother!" she cried out.

"Diana?" Hippolyta let out, surprised and delighted. "Athena heard my prayers and sent you."

"I'm so sorry mother." Diana apologized.

"Oh, what a touching reunion." Faust interjected, jeering at the two amazons.

Hippolyta rose to her feet once more, pushing Diana behind her and lifting her sword.

"The intruder!" she exclaimed. "We must stop him!"

She charged at Faust, sword raised. Faust quickly held up the medallion again, hitting Hippolyta with another petrifying spell. Hippolyta dropped to the ground in pain as she began turning to stone once more. Diana watched in horror, then turned on Faust in rage.

"Monster!" she shrieked. "Give me that!

The amulet then disappeared from Faust's hand before she could reach him.

"I need your answer." He continued. "Will you help me?"

Seeing no other choice, Diana stepped down from her offensive stance, giving the man the coldest glare she could muster.

"What kind of man are you?" she questioned.

"A practical one." Faust replied, summoning an hourglass. "You have 24 hours to bring me the rest of the fragments. Otherwise, your unfortunate mother will remain like this, forever."

"And where should I go to find these relics?" she asked in a harsh tone.

Faust held up three glowing gems, each of them a bright red.

"These crystals are attuned to the mystic vibrations of each relic." he explained. "They will lead the way."

Diana took them before walking up to Faust.

"Heed my words Faust," She spoke. "If you break your vow, no magic in the universe will save you from me."

Faust was not fazed by her threat. Instead, he merely pulled the mystic hour glass over, never losing that knowing smirk.

"Tick-tock." he warned.

Seething in anger, Diana turned and walked out of the temple.

...

As Diana got back into the Javelin and took off, Faust reentered the temple. Summoning some more of his power, he drew a perfect circle in the air with yellow light. Then, he filled the circle with fire, creating a communication portal with an unseen force.

" _FAUST!_ " an ancient, powerful voice echoed through the portal. " _Why are you just standing there?! Where is the artifact?!_ "

"A change in plans my lord." Faust reported.

 _"WHAT?!"_

"The relics are under the protection of powerful forces." Faust quickly explained. "Because of this, I have sent another in my stead to collect them."

 _"If you fail, there will be nothing to protect you from 'my' wrath."_

"The prize will be ours." Faust reassured. "With the help of the Amazon queen's own daughter."

 _"Daughter you say…"_

...

Up in the watchtower, J'honn and Kari had managed to finish off the last of the Oreos the latter had brought. She looked at the empty box, letting out a small snort.

"And I thought Flash was the one who demolished the junk food." she quipped.

"It would seem these Oreos have grown on me." J'honn replied.

"So I see." she remarked. "I think there's some more in the kitchen. Wanna grab them? I'll keep watch."

He gave a nod of assent, then got up and left the monitor room. Not long after the doors closed, the station's comms systems went off.

" _Wonder Woman to Watchtower._ " Diana's voice echoed. " _J'honn, you there?_ "

"Sorry, J'honn just left." Kari informed her. "What do you need?"

" _I need you to run a search for me._ " Diana requested. " _I want all the information you can give me on a man named Felix Faust._ "

Kari grabbed a notepad, jotting the name down.

"Felix… Faust..." she wrote. "Got anything else I can work with?"

" _Only that he's some sort of sorcerer, and a powerful one._ " Diana answered.

Something in her voice made Kari pause. She set down her pen, turning to the comm system with no small amount of worry.

"What brought this on?" she questioned. "Are you in trouble?"

Before Diana could answer, a low hum echoed through the comms.

" _I'm sorry, I've got to go._ "

She suddenly hung up, surprising Kari. Suspicion getting the better of her, Kari hit a few keys. One activated the Javelin's tracker, and the other put in a call to the Batcave.

"Watchtower to Batman." she called out. "Got your ears on, Bats?"

 _"What is it, Kari?"_ Batman asked.

"Something's up with Diana." she replied. "I'm tracking the Javelin now, but I need you to do me a favor. Well, two favors."

 _"What did you have in mind?"_

"We're going to do some research on a man named Felix Faust." she informed him.

...

Night had fallen as Diana landed the Javelin on the roof of the Museum of Natural History. As silently as she could, she opened the skylight and dropped down to the museum floor. She was right in the middle of the ancient Greek exhibit, pieces of pottery and ancient weapons on display for all to see. As she scanned the various exhibits for the one she was looking for, she pulled out Faust's crystal.

It was glowing brightly, growing even brighter and dimmer depending on the direction she pointed it in. As she walked through the exhibit, she took note of a vase that was cited to have an unknown sculptor.

"Menolipe." She recognized. "Good for you. I always said your work was museum quality."

As she walked past it, the crystal began glowing brighter and brighter, eventually leading her to a vase that stood alone on a pedestal. There were no other displays around it, save for a large statue erected beside it. She approached the vase, unaware of her boot tripping a silent alarm set up near the floor.

She was soon made aware of her mistake when alarms began blaring loudly. The museum immediately went into lockdown mode, as all the entrances and exits were sealed off. She knew that her time was limited, but she also knew she couldn't leave without the artifact.

"No time to do this the nice way." she let out as she grabbed the vase and smashed it on the floor.

The vase shattered, revealing a stone carving. It didn't look like a statue, or anything from Greek mythology. It just looked… weird. She picked it up, turning it in her hand as she stared at it in confusion.

"Why does Faust want this?" she wondered.

As she wondered, the large statue beside the display began to move. As it turned its head towards her, it stepped off its platform, finally drawing the amazon's attention. She let out a gasp at the statue towered over her, drawing a sword that was easily twice her size.

"Great Gaia!" She let out.

As the statue swung its sword at her, Diana flew out of the way. After landing a safe distance away, she pulled out her lasso and threw it around its sword hand. She struggled against the statue's strength for a bit, only for the statue to pull her towards it. The statue then punched Wonder Woman in the face, sending her flying into a wall. She barely had time to recover before it swung at her again. She dodged the blow but lost the relic. When the statue turned back around, the relic was sitting in the palm of its oversized hand.

"No!" Diana cried out, flying towards the statue before trying to pry its fingers open. "Give that back! I need it!"

The statue tried to bash her with the hilt of its sword, but she dodged again. She did the same with his follow-up swings. Finally, the statue managed to punch her, which sent her careening into the pillars where the artifact once sat, causing them to collapse on her. It then approached the rubble, stabbing it a few times with its sword to ensure its opponent was defeated.

Feeling content, it turned to leave, only for something to be stirring in the rubble. One of the larger pieces of rubble was lifted into the air by a bruised, but not beaten, Wonder Woman.

"I am Diana, Princess of Themyscira, Home of the Amazons!" she declared. "I won't be denied."

She chucked the large piece of rubble at the statue, striking it on the left kneecap. This started a chain reaction that caused the statue to begin to crumble. Its leg broke off almost instantly as Diana flew it. She then punched it so hard, its head cracked off. She then just wailed on the thing until she was sure it was down. As the dust cleared, the stature was nothing but immobile rubble. Breathing heavily, she flew towards its hand, collecting the relic once again.

"Diana!" a voice called out.

She looked up at the new hole in the ceiling, surprised to see Superman flying in.

"What happened here?" he questioned. "Are you okay?"

"This isn't your concern, Superman." she insisted.

"When my friends decide to wreck museums, it becomes my concern." He responded. "I've already alerted the others. When they get here, they'll want an explanation."

Diana looked at him, then sighed, realizing there was no way out of it.

...

Not much later, J'honn and Flash joined Superman and Diana on the roof of the museum. She explained everything that had happened on Themyscira, as well as her 'arrangement' with Faust.

"I don't trust him for a second, but I don't have a choice." she concluded. "If I don't get these relics back to him, my mother and all of Themyscira will suffer."

"At least you were smart enough to get Kari to do some digging on this Faust." Superman told her.

"She and Batman are handling the research now." J'honn added. "In the meantime, perhaps it would be wise to come up with a plan to deal with Faust's ultimatum."

"I say we go back there and kick that would be sorcerer's butt!" Flash suggested.

"As much as I agree with you, it's impossible." Diana informed him. "It is forbidden for men to step foot on Themyscira. To break this law is the highest of treason."

"Maybe someone should have told him that." Flash remarked.

"So, the only way to save your people is to do what he says." J'honn mused. "I guess that only leaves us with one course of action."

Diana looked up at J'honn let a tiny smile play on his face.

"We will have to help you." he declared.

Diana perked up at the Martian's words, smiling as well.

...

The javelin streaked through the sky, making its way through a Central American jungle towards an Incan temple. As the ship landed, both Flash and J'honn emerged from the ship, the latter holding one of Faust's crystals. Flash was going on and on as they walked down the gangplank, the idea of Themyscira making his imagination run wild.

"Just imagine it: the sun, the sand, hundreds of women just like her running around, and me, the first man they've seen in, oh maybe forever." He regaled. "Oh, and look what I brought. Iced mochas for everyone! Sweet."

"I fail to see the attraction." J'honn told him, focusing on the crystal's glow.

"Man, you really are from mars." Flash remarked.

J'honn stopped walking, and when he spoke, there was a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Perhaps we should focus on finding the relic." he suggested.

"No problem." Flash reassured.

He then took the crystal and sped into the pyramid. Just a second later, he came running back out with an urn in his hands.

"See? That was easy." He declared, opening the urn and pulling out the second piece of the relic.

As he said this, the ground began to shake. Both heroes looked back at the temple just as it exploded, allowing a large snake to burst out into the open. It was a maroon color with a yellow underbelly, and smoke rose from his nostrils and mouth as it hissed at the pair.

"Or not." Flash amended.

...

Diana and Superman flew through the darkened skies of Metropolis, following the glow of the final crystal. It seemed to indicate that they had arrived at their destination, much to Superman's confusion.

"This can't be the place." Superman insisted.

"According to the gem, it is." Diana replied.

Together, the two flew into the Metro Mall. As they entered, Diana looked around in surprise and wonder.

"It reminds me of the temples back home." she commented.

"It kinda is," Superman replied. "For those who worship their credit cards."

They passed by one of the many trendy boutiques in the mall, Diana eying several of the mannequins. When she saw the outlandish apparel they were displaying, she scoffed.

"What self-respecting woman would dress like that?" she questioned.

"You got me." Superman remarked.

He then began scanning the mall, bathing it with his X-Ray vision. Through the floor, he could make out the pipes and lines running below the building. He could also see an ancient vase buried in the dirt.

"There it is." Superman reported.

Superman then flew up into the air before spinning and diving back down, returning a few seconds with the urn in hand. Diana approached him, looking at the urn curiously.

"Why would someone bury it here?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but from the looks of it, I'd say it's been here a long time." Superman replied.

Diana took the urn, looking at it skeptically.

"Someone went through a lot of trouble to make sure these relics were never disturbed." she muttered.

As she lifted the lid of the urn to remove the relic, it exploded into white light, blinding the two heroes and sending them flying in opposite directions. As he light faded and the last of the spots disappeared from her vision, Diana looked around for her companion.

"Superman?" she called out.

Unfortunately for her, what she saw was not Superman. Instead, it was this large, bug-eyed monster with large red wings and razor-sharp teeth. Meanwhile, Superman had stumbled backwards, still blinking away those pesky spots.

"Diana?" he shouted.

As his vision cleared, he found his eyes resting on a different monster. This one was green with a long tail and glowing orange eyes. It moved it on Superman, howling in rage.

Unbeknownst to the two heroes, there were no monsters at all. The monsters they were seeing were actually each other, the light having warped their perception.

"What have you done with Superman!?" Diana demanded.

Whatever Superman's reply was, all she heard was a monstrous growl. In anger, she launched forward, punching the monster across the jaw. It stumbled back, then delivered a blow of its own. Diana went flying back into a wall as the creature began flying towards her.

...

Back at the remains of the Incan temple, J'honn and Flash were having a little trouble with the snake. Though its large size should have been enough to make it a viable threat, it also had the ability to breath fire. It let out a long jet of flames, aiming right at the two heroes. Flash quickly ran for cover, but J'honn was frozen. He stared at the flames in horror, something keeping him rooted to the ground.

This left him open for attack, the snake enveloping the Martian in flames. As he screamed in agony and terror, Flash suddenly skidded to a stop.

"J'honn!" he shouted.

He caught the Martian as he fell, then turned towards the snake. It prepared to breathe fire, so Flash created twin tornados with his arms. The resulting wind blew the fire right back at the snake.

"You're toast!" Flash taunted.

The flames licked at the snake, causing it to recoil in pain. It then lunged forward, trying to snap at Flash, only for the speedster to easily dodge. He ran up the snake's body, causing the snake to tie itself in a knot to get to him. With its throat now constricted, breathing fire was impossible. As it tried to free itself, Flash ran over to J'honn.

"C'mon buddy, wake up." he begged. "I need you on this."

J'honn shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He straightened up, looking at the snake.

"You get the relic." he told Flash. "I will handle the rest."

Flash rushed off to do just that as J'honn faced off against the snake. It was trying to untangle itself, but J'honn quickly delivered an uppercut to its jaw to stop it. It fell hard, out like a light. Flash sped over, looking at the downed snake with surprise.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" he questioned.

"I apologize." he told the speedster. "My people have been susceptible to fire for generations. It is our one weakness."

"Whoa." Flash winced. "Remind me not to ask for your help against Heat Wave then."

"Come, we better get out of here before it wakes up." J'honn suggested.

With that, the two heroes fled with their prize.

...

The battle in the Metro Mall was still in full swing, neither hero aware of the other's identity. They smashed through several of the stores in the mall, neither holding back. Their strength and durability made the battle close to a stalemate.

...

Rain fell in buckets as Professor Erlang made his way to the Gotham University science wing. As he fumbled for the keys to the door, Kari wheeled herself up the access ramp.

"Professor Erlang?" she called out. "My name's Kari Miller. I need to talk to you."

"I'm sorry, but no conferences without an appointment young lady." he told her. "Call me secretary and schedule-"

A crack of lightning illuminated the sky and revealed the figure of the Dark Knight standing behind Kari. The professor gasped, dropping his books as well as his keys.

"It's important." Kari insisted. "We need to know about a man named Felix Faust."

The professor gulped, then slowly gathered up his stuff.

"L-let's talk in my office." he offered.

...

Wonder Woman and Superman continued to clash, the former pulling out her lasso and using it to catch the latter around the neck. To Superman's perception, the monster had wrapped its serpentine tail around his neck, causing him to choke. He was pulled up into the air, clawing at the lasso while also trying to get a few hits in.

Wonder Woman struggled to keep ahold of her quarry, taking a few blows as her temper flared.

"Foul demon!" she cursed, getting on top of the thing.

The two of them then began flying upward, Wonder Woman getting smashed into the ceiling hard. As the beast pulled away, she plummeted to the ground, landing hard on a display car below. Superman took the chance to catch his breath as the display car was suddenly hurled at him. He collided with a support beam, the engine exploding on impact.

As Wonder Woman flew to examine the damage, her monster stood up, chucking the car right back at her. She dropped a few feet in the air, easily dodging it. The monster then charged again, so she grabbed two power cables, shoving them into the thing's chest. Superman screamed in pain, struggling to get his monster off him. He was unsuccessful, his monster throwing him down to the ground, right next to an indoor fountain. As the beast landed on top of him, Superman opened his eyes, seeing his reflection in the water. To his shock, he saw Diana standing where the monster should have been.

"Diana?" he let out in shock.

Realizing what was going on, he turned towards her in desperation.

"Diana, it's me!" he cried out.

Diana did not hear any of this, and mercilessly pounded Superman's face into the ground. With the Kryptonian barely conscious, it was easy for Diana to hurl him across the mall. He cleared his head, landing gracefully as he tried to get through to his friend.

"Diana, stop!" he begged, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "It's an illusion!"

Unfortunately, all she heard was monstrous growls from a creature with its claws bared. As such, she felt no remorse as she pounded away at the beast. This time, the fight was one-sided, Superman no longer on the offensive. He defended himself as best he could, but her continuous assault forced him farther and farther back.

Eventually, she tried to kick him, spurring him to catch her leg. This left his head unprotected, free for Diana to attack with her free leg. He smashed right through the boutique they'd passed in the beginning, landing so hard against the wall he left a crater. Diana then flew in, pinning the monster to the wall.

"What have you done with Superman?!" she demanded.

The creature weakly pointed behind her, causing her to turn and look in a mirror. There, she saw that she had Superman in her grip, and not the monster she initially believed. She turned back in surprise, now seeing a beaten Superman.

"I tried to tell you." he groaned.

She released him immediately, gently lowering him to the ground.

"Superman, I'm so sorry." she apologized. "I had no idea that these relics would bring about so much suffering."

"Makes you wonder what Faust is gonna do with them." Superman replied.

...

Back on Themyscira, Faust was contacting his dark master once again. It was clearly growing impatient, its voice booming through the temple.

" _Where is she, Faust?!_ " it demanded. " _Where is Hippolyta's daughter?!_ "

"Try to have patience my lord." Faust insisted.

 _"Patience?!"_ It roared. _"I have been patient for over three thousand years!"_

"Forgive me," Faust begged. "I merely meant to say that the relics will soon be ours. She will not fail, not with the lives of her people on the line."

The dark master seemed to sigh.

" _You better be right._ " it snarled. " _Once they are in our grasp, I will remind the world of the power of Hades, Lord of the Underworld!_ "

...

Back at the mall, Diana stared down at the ancient artifact.

"Powerful forces are at work here." She let out.

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know." Superman replied, rubbing his head.

Diana stood up, offering Superman her hand. He took it, rising to his feet once more.

"I hope I didn't hurt you too badly." she told him.

"Let's just say I'm glad we're usually on the same team." Superman told her, clenching his jaw.

About that time, the comms started beeping.

" _Everyone._ " Kari's voice rang out. " _We found some information on Diana's new friend._ "

" _Get down here as soon as you can._ " Batman insisted. " _You're going to want to see this for yourselves._ "

…

The League convened at Faust's private study, meeting Kari and Batman in an old anthropology office. It was littered with various artifacts and notes, the subjects spanning from the mundane to the arcane.

"Fascinating." J'honn commented. "Faust clearly has a great passion for learning."

"If he wasn't a psychopath out for Diana, I'd probably have more respect for his passion." Kari told him.

"Where do you think he got this stuff?" Flash asked, picking up a strange scepter with a crystal and an eye on top of it. "Ghouls R Us?"

As he examined the scepter, the eye on the top opened and the crystal started to glow. Batman saw it first, eyes widening in surprise.

"Don't touch that!" he snapped.

As Flash turned towards him, the scepter shot out a beam of blue energy. Batman barely ducked under it as it blasted the wall.

"Oops." Flash let out.

Batman stalked over to him, snatching the scepter and putting it back.

"Don't touch anything!" he shouted. "We don't know what powers we're dealing with!"

Everyone else looked at Flash and Batman, then slowly put down the objects they had been examining.

"So, who is this Faust?" Superman asked.

"According to Professor Erlang, he was a renowned anthropologist and respected professor of archeology." Kari supplied. "Unfortunately, he was drawn to the mystic arts, and went mad with a lust for power."

"Not long after that, he was kicked out of the university due to his heretical ideas." Batman continued. "He swore revenge on those who mocked him, and several later disappeared under mysterious circumstances."

J'honn then looked up at a row of three masks set up above a bookshelf. They did not appear ancient at all, and depicted the terrified faces of three men,

"I believe I found them." he pointed out.

"Ew." Flash let out.

"I reiterate." Kari interjected. "He's a psychopath, but that's not even the worst part."

Batman held up a leather-bound journal.

"It's his journal." He told them. "And the last entry makes reference to Tartarus."

Diana gasped in horror.

"The Pit of Lost Souls..." she whispered.

"So that's not a myth either." Kari mused. "Considering Amazons exist, I'm not surprised."

"Um, sorry." Flash interjected. "Some of us slept through history class. What's so important about this pit?"

Diana sighed.

"That is where Hades, Lord of the Underworld, was imprisoned." she explained. "Back in ancient times, the three elder gods: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades ruled over the world. When the time came to divide up the world, the Gods drew lots to see who would rule where. Zeus got the Heavens, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades the underworld."

"Wait, I thought you said he was imprisoned." Superman spoke up.

"He was." Diana replied. "Hades felt cheated by his brothers. So, he raised an army of the undead, and tried to seize control of Olympus. My mother and the rest of the Amazons were the guardians of the gates to the Underworld, so Hades seduced my mother and tricked her into opening the gates."

"Ouch..." Flash remarked.

"The battle that waged is one that the muses still sing about." Diana went on. "But in the end, Hades was defeated. As punishment, Hades was banished from Olympus for all time, locked away in Tartarus to fulfill his duties. My mother did not escape punishment either. She alone would guard the gate of Tartarus, ensuring that no other unwitting pawn would ever make the same mistake she did. To ensure Hades could never be freed, the only key was broken up into pieces and scattered across the globe."

"So, these relics that we've been hunting..." Superman pieced together. "They're the fragments of the key."

"But why would Faust want it?" Flash asked.

"Why else?" Kari replied. "He wants to release Hades."

Batman took the pieces from everyone, constructing them into the complete key.

"He's Hades' latest pawn." Batman added. "No doubt he's been promised something in return for it."

"Then we should destroy the key." Superman suggested. "No key, no way it can be used."

"We can't." Diana protested. "If I don't give Faust the key, my mother and sisters will be stone forever."

"And if you do, it'll be the end of the world." Batman reminded.

Diana was conflicted, looking at the league, then at the key. J'honn approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Whatever you decide, we will do what we can to help you." He promised.

Diana turned back to him, smiling.

...

Back on Themyscira, Faust stood over the stone form of Hippolyta, stroking the side of her face in a gentle manner.

"I should thank you for raising such a devoted daughter." he told her. "It made her so easy to control."

About that time, Diana came flying into the temple, holding something covered in cloth.

"Faust!" she shouted.

"Back already I see." Faust observed as she landed in front of him. "And with hours to spare, no less. I must say, I'm impressed. Do you have the relic?"

Wordlessly, she pulled the cloth off the object in her hand, revealing the completed key. Faust smiled and reached for it, only for Diana to pull it away.

"Free my mother first." she demanded. "Then you'll get your relic."

"Of course." Faust replied, summoning his amulet.

After speaking the incantation, Hippolyta's stone form once again faded away, revealing her true form once again. She sagged against the stone steps she was leaning against as Diana ran to her side, dropping the relic in her haste.

"Mother..." she let out, dropping to her knees and taking her mother's hand.

"Finally, after three thousand years, the key is finally complete." Faust boasted.

Seeing the key in Faust's hands, Hippolyta went pale.

"Diana, you didn't!" she exclaimed.

Faust just laughed, turning to the two amazons.

"I must thank you for your assistance in this." Faust told them, summoning the amulet. "But now that I have the key, you are of no further use to me."

Before he could say the incantation though, Flash zipped right past him, stealing the amulet right out of his hand.

"What?!" Faust let out.

"You're not the only one with an ace up their sleeve." Flash boasted.

About that time, Batman descended from the top of the statue of Athena, kicking Faust right in the face. He then picked up the key, tossing it over to Kari. She caught it just as J'honn brought her chair in. Hippolyta stared at the heroes, anger, shock, and disgust prevalent on her face.

"You allowed men to step foot on our sacred land?" she questioned.

Diana didn't answer, focused on her friends and Faust.

"Did you really think she'd trust scum like you?" Batman asked Faust as Superman and J'honn landed on either side of him.

"You've lost, Faust." Kari told him. "Just give up now while you have the chance."

"Never!" Faust declared, summoning a ball of energy and launching it at the ceiling.

The entire temple shook as the heroes scattered. Faust launched several more, managing to successfully hit Superman. Kari rolled for cover, still clutching the key to her chest. Flash kept running around, easily evading Faust's blasts.

"Now you see me," he taunted. "Now you don't."

Realizing he couldn't hit the speedster, Faust changed tactics. He summoned up a small outcropping of earth, enough to trip Flash and send him careening across the floor. Before Faust could deliver a final blow, J'honn rammed into him, knocking him down.

"Yeah!" Kari cheered.

As Faust turned to blast him, J'honn turned intangible so the blast just went right through him. In anger, Faust summoned a large blast, throwing it at the ground. The entire temple shook once more, sending both J'honn and Batman flying. A column began falling, aimed right at Batman. Luckily, Superman swooped in, catching it just in time.

Kari watched the fighting, her eyes fixated on Superman and Batman. As such, she didn't see Faust until he grabbed her by the shirt, pulling her front her chair and suspending her off the ground. She yelped in shock, drawing everyone's attention.

"Kari!" Superman cried out.

"Back off!" Faust warned. "Unless you want me to break her more than she already is!"

Kari took the key, swinging it as hard as she could and clocking Faust on the head. He cried out and dropped her, allowing her to swing at his legs. He knelt over, seething in rage and pain as Kari tried to army crawl away. Faust reached for her, but Batman's grapnel quickly snagged his wrist. Wonder Woman followed suit by throwing her lasso around him.

As the two struggled to hold him, Faust grabbed onto both ropes, channeling his power through them. This sent both heroes stumbling back in pain before falling to the ground. Shrugging out of the ropes, Faust turned back to Kari. He grabbed her again, this time channeling his power into her and knocking her out. He then grabbed her and the key, making for the exit. Suddenly, J'honn phased up from the floor right in front of him. He backed up slowly before turning around to see Superman and Flash on the other side of him.

"Put the girl and the key down, and this won't have to turn ugly." Flash told him.

"I think not!" Faust replied, throwing some seeds at their feet.

The seeds sank into the ground, and immediately, large plants began sprouting in the middle of the temple. These large, thorny vines began wriggling like snakes, trying to ensnare the heroes.

"Anyone got some weed killer?" Flash asked.

Unfortunately, he, J'honn, and Superman were quickly captured by the evil plant. They were suspended in the air, helpless to escape as Batman and Wonder Woman came to. Wonder Woman flew up and grabbed a nearby sword before flying towards the vines. She began slicing away before getting caught herself.

With the heroes occupied, Faust grabbed the key and made his way over to Hippolyta. He dumped Kari, grinning at the weakened Amazon.

"Why settle for the broken girl when I can take Lord Hades' beloved Amazon Queen?" he said.

Hippolyta slowly got back up and pulled out a dagger from her toga. She tried to slice at him, but after a few swings, he simply caught her wrists and magically knocked her out. Diana saw this, struggling through the plant.

"Mother!" she screamed.

Faust spoke another incantation, engulfing him and Hippolyta in a puff of smoke. As he disappeared, the plant began to slowly die, dropping the heroes back on the ground. Once free of the plant's grasp, J'honn ran over to Kari, helping her sit up as she let out a groan.

"He got the key, didn't he?" she asked groggily.

"And Diana's mother." Superman added.

"Where'd they go?" Flash wondered.

"The Gates of Tartarus." Diana answered. "That's the final piece Faust alluded to."

"It's here on Themyscira?" J'honn questioned.

Diana nodded.

"I know the way." she told them.

...

After getting Kari back in her wheelchair, Diana led the League to the rear of the temple. Taking up a torch, she approached a secret door, pressing a series of stones to open it. This revealed a long staircase, which all of them began descending. Once they finally reached the bottom, they entered what looked like the ruins of an ancient city.

"Whoa..." Flash let out. "What is this place?"

"Ancient Themyscira." Diana answered. "It's where the Gates of Tartarus are located. After the great war, we abandoned the city and rebuilt our lives above, away from the influence of the gate."

"And the horrible smell?" Kari questioned.

"Don't ask." Diana insisted.

After a bit more walking, they came across a large set of gates near the end of the city. There, Faust was preparing to unlock the doors, Hippolyta chained to a broken column behind him. As she struggled to free herself, she tried her best to reason with the mad sorcerer.

"I beg you stop this." she pleaded. "Whatever Hades has promised you, it is naught but lies."

"I will be the judge of that." Faust told her. "Unlike you, my relationship with Lord Hades is based off mutual desire."

"I once believed the same." Hippolyta told him.

"Silence!" Faust snapped. "I have dreamt of this moment my whole life, and I will not let you stop me now. Besides, it's rude to keep our new Lord waiting."

With that, Faust inserted the key and turned it. As the ancient gears began turning Hippolyta let out a cry of horror.

"No!"

From where they were hiding, the League could only stare as Diana let out a gasp.

"Hera help us." she said.

Slowly, the gears turned, the bars moved aside, and the doors opened to what could only be described as a realm of eternal fire. From that fire emerged a towering figure cloaked in black and grey armor, a blood red cloak billowing behind him. As he stepped out into the ruined city, he took a deep breath.

"Free at last!" he declared.

Faust dropped to his knees, bowing low.

"Welcome, Lord Hades." he greeted. "To celebrate your arrival, I've brought a gift."

He gestured behind him to the captive Amazon queen. When Hades laid eyes on her, a vicious smile grew under his war helm.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Hades let out. "My dearest Hippolyta, here to great her glorious master's return from-"

He pulled his helmet off, revealing a rather attractive face. He had long, wavy black hair pulled back in a ponytail, a slight goatee, and eyes that seemed to glow like fire.

"Well, you know where I've been." he concluded.

"Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of your treachery." Hippolyta snarled.

"And not a day has passed that I haven't longed to feel the sweet touch of living flesh again." Hades replied, cupping her face.

He pulled her in, hoping to steal a forceful kiss. Luckily, Faust interjected before he could get his wish.

"My Lord." he called out. "I fulfilled my end of the bargain. I delivered your freedom, and I even brought Hippolyta as a bonus. Now I beg you uphold your part."

"Ah yes." Hades recalled. "Ultimate knowledge. You shall have it.

Hades then ignited one of his fingers and tapped it against Faust's head. The touch caused the sorcerer to start aging rapidly, his body engulfed in fire.

"Ultimately, pain and suffering is all that man will ever know." Hades told him.

He then pulled his finger away, allowing the man to crumble to the ground.

"Holy-" Kari let out in horror.

"Good lord." Superman winced.

With the rest of the League remaining behind, Diana surged forward, plucking a sword from the skeleton of a fallen warrior. She flew up, slicing through her mother's chains. Once free, Diana grabbed Hippolyta and the two took off.

"Hurry mother!" Diana told her.

"Hippolyta," Hades mused. "You didn't tell me you had a daughter."

He took a deep breath, then unleashed a ball of fire right at the amazons. Luckily, they were able to take cover behind an outcropping of rocks before it hit.

"I wonder if she's as loving as her mother." Hades wondered, standing over them.

Just then, Superman flew up and uppercut Hades, causing him to stumble back a bit. Superman tried flying at him again, but Hades just backhanded him into a pillar, which collapsed as he crashed through it. Next, he caught a batarang as it went flying towards him. It flash twice in his hand, then exploded. Hades remained unfazed, walking through the explosion and batting the second batarang aside.

"This isn't good." Kari muttered. "J'honn, they need you-"

She cut off when she saw J'honn's face. His eyes were locked on the open doors, the realm of eternal fire still ablaze. He seemed utterly terrified, unable to look away.

"J'honn!" Kari screamed, trying to shake him. "J'honn!"

Her efforts were in vain as he remained where he was. Flash saw this and cursed.

"It's the fire." he told her. "It's the one thing that weakens Martians. I think it's like alien PTSD or something."

"Then what do we do?" she questioned.

"You keep an eye on him." Flash ordered. "I'll deal with tall, dark, and deadly."

He zipped forward, running circles around Hades while delivering punch after punch to the guy's abdomen. The God put up with this for a minute, then unleashed a torrent of flames from his mouth. The flames chased Flash across the city as he narrowly avoided the blazing heat.

"Sheesh, talk about ultimate halitosis." he commented.

He ran along the walls, the flames tearing through everything behind him. To put a stop to him, Superman came flying down on top of him, knocking him into the ground, literally. They remained underground for a bit before Hades shot another stream of fire at him, launching him upwards before plopping onto the floor.

While the League was busy, Diana helped her mother to her feet.

"Are you alright, mother?" she asked.

"Yes, but Hades must be stopped." Hippolyta told her.

Taking up an old sword and shield, Hippolyta charged at the gate, hoping to get to the key. However, Hades rose up to stop her, his eyes literally on fire.

"You dare to challenge a God?!" he howled.

He slammed his foot on the ground, raising up a large stone platform for him to stand on. He then waved his arm, then the entire cave began to shake. Just then, a decaying hand sprung up from the ground and grabbed Flash by the leg. He yelped, kicking the hand away. As he did, even more hands began bursting out of the ground. Eventually, these hands revealed entire decaying bodies covered in rusted armor.

"Yikes!" Kari screamed. "He raising the dead!"

Hades cackled as the heroes were overtaken by the decaying soldiers.

"Now you see the fate of all heroes!" He boasted.

Seeing the monsters closing in, Kari grabbed a fallen sword, slicing away at the oncoming corpses. She slashed at several decaying arms, trying to keep them away from herself and J'honn.

"J'honn, now would be a good time to snap out of it!" she shouted.

Unfortunately, the flaming portal was still open, and he was still frozen. Superman swooped down, blasting away several soldiers with his heat vision. He then whipped through the crowd of undead, grabbing an overwhelmed Flash. One managed to cling to him by the neck, but Flash just punched him. The arm snapped off, still clinging to Flash's neck. He pulled it off, recoiling as the hand tried to swipe at him.

"Oh, gross." he gagged.

Batman meanwhile, shot out a grappling hook and zipped upwards, away from the undead soldiers. As he tried to swing to safety, one of the soldiers threw an axe, severing the line. Batman landed on a column, knocking it over before landing in the center of a horde of soldiers. They closed in on him as he threw a batarang at one. It embedded in the corpse's chest, it beeped twice, then exploded. It took out several soldiers with it.

Back with Kari and J'honn, she continued to swipe at them with her sword, but they were getting overwhelmed quickly. A few managed to topple her chair, causing her to fall to the ground.

"J'honn, come on!" Kari pleaded. "J'honn! Help me!"

Her screams seemed to jar something in the Martian. He got to his feet and phased through the soldiers on top of him, causing them to attack each other and destroy themselves. He then became solid once more, smashing through the soldiers on top of Kari, pulling her free.

"J'honn!" she cheered. "Took you long enough."

"I am sorry." J'honn told her. "The flames, they…"

"Tell me later." Kari interrupted. "We've got work to do."

He put her back in her chair, then the two got back to smashing. Meanwhile, Diana and Hippolyta were back to back, showing their natural skills as they fought them.

"They're endless." Diana commented, kicking one aside. "How can we overcome them?"

"You can't!" Hades boasted.

As Hades watched the battle play out, he launched a fireball at J'honn, remembering how the Martian had frozen. Kari saw it coming and yelped.

"Move!" she shrieked.

He grabbed her, flying in the opposite direction as the ball landed. It exploded outward, forcing them to keep flying. While they avoided the blast, Flash and Superman got hit head on, sending them flying. Flash ended up buried and rubble, just barely conscious. Hades laughed maniacally at his apparent victory.

"Bow to me, mortals!" He declared. "Bow before your master!"

As he boasted, the now decrepit Faust slowly got to his knees, aiming a shaking hand at Hades. Stuttering out one last incantation, he fired a bolt of magic at Hades, striking him in the back. The God howled in pain as his skin began to flake off, revealing grey fur, long fangs, and two horns on his forehead. He let out a roar, exposing three long tongues and slanted eyes.

"Great Hera!" Diana let out.  
"Now you see his true form." Hippolyta told her.

Hades turned to Faust in anger, striking him with a powerful fireball. The last of his strength spent, Faust could do little but take the blow. Hippolyta and Diana leapt up to try and fight him, but Hades just batted Diana aside before grabbing Hippolyta by the wrist. Diana bounced off a column, crumbling to the ground.

"Come, don't be shy my love." Hades told Hippolyta, catching her wrist as she tried to punch him.

Before he could make another move, Diana's lasso wrapped around his wrist as she tried to stop him.

"No!" she snarled.

Hades just grabbed the lasso and pulled hard, causing Diana to fly through the air and collide hard with the cave wall. He then pulled the lasso loose with his teeth before tossing it back at Diana.

"Don't worry, I'll get to you once I'm finished with your mother." Hades promised.

Hippolyta swung herself upward, kicking Hades across the jaw. He landed on one hand before pushing off and landing on her feet.

"Diana, the key!" She told her. "It's our only hope!"

Diana immediately jumped into the sky, streaking towards the key. She grabbed it, attempting to pull it free. Almost immediately, the power of the relic began to attack her, vile power coursing through her. While she was doing that, Hippolyta was duking it out with Hades. The God easily overpowered her, pinning her to the ground and getting on top of her.

"You belong to me, Hippolyta." he reminded her. "You are mine, and mine alone!"

"Diana!" Hippolyta shouted. "Destroy the key!"

Diana was still trying to fight through the pain, but ever so slowly, she was turning the key. Seeing this, Hades struck Hippolyta, knocking her out, before charging towards Diana. Finally, Diana managed to turn the key back and rip it out. Power was still sparking from it as she lifted it over her head, Hades still closing in on her.

"No!" he screamed.

"Back to the pit, you monster!" Diana yelled, smashing the key against the ground.

It exploded on impact, the power swirling in the air before diving into the portal. Before long, it started pulling everything into it, Diana, Hades, the undead army, Hippolyta, Faust, as well as the rest of the League. As Faust was pulled in, his bodied quickly began to decay until he was little more than dust.

Batman used his grapnel to keep himself from flying off. Flash ran as fast as he could, while avoiding the oncoming debris. Superman and J'honn were flying as best they could, the latter holding Kari in his arms. While Hades clung to the ground as hard as he could, he saw Hippolyta flying towards the portal. He grabbed her, holding her close. He clawed at the ground to try and get them both to safety, but a column struck him in the stomach. They were both sent tumbling towards the portal, much to Diana's dismay.

"Mother!" She cried out.

She quickly leapt up and grabbed Hippolyta by the wrist just before she went into the portal.

"I got you!" Diana told her.

She then clung to the edge of the doorway, just barely holding on as Hades grabbed onto Hippolyta's ankle. He began climbing over her, desperate to escape. The added weight caused Diana's grip to loosen, her nails dragging in the stone.

As Hades reached her, Diana kicked at him. He wrapped his tongues around her boot, so she kicked him again. His tentative hold on Hippolyta gave way as her sleeve ripped, sending him flying into the fiery abyss.

"Hippolyta!" he screamed as he disappeared into the flames.

Wrapping Hippolyta's arm around her shoulder, Diana clawed her way out of the portal as the doors began to close. She and her mother just barely made it out, the door narrowly closing on their feet. Once the doors closed, the sucking power of the portal cut off. Everything dropped to the ground, including Batman, Flash, and the rest of the league. As the door barred itself once more, Diana looked down at her unconscious mother. Slowly, Hippolyta came to.

"Is he gone…?" she groaned.

"What did you ever see in him?" Diana wondered.

"Ancient history." Hippolyta dismissed. "Thank Athena it's finally over."

"Is it?" Diana asked. "What about our Amazon sisters?"

...

Going outside, the League and Hippolyta emerged to see the Amazons still frozen in stone. Hippolyta looked out at them all, sighing in regret.

"Is there nothing we can do?" J'honn asked.

Kari then perked up, turning to Flash.

"Tell me you still have that medallion." she begged.

"Yeah, I got it right here." Flash confirmed, pulling it out.

"But only Faust knew the spells." J'honn reminded as the sun rose. "Without him-"

Before he could finish speaking, the sun peeked over the edge of the island. The rays struck the medallion, causing it to glow brightly and become incredibly hot. Flash yelped, dropping the medallion as the light began to envelope them all. Everyone shielded their eyes, then as the light died, they were greeted by an amazing sight.

All the amazons were becoming flesh and blood once more. Every single one began to return to normal, a little disoriented, but otherwise unharmed. Diana and Hippolyta both let out sighs of relief as Kari let out a big grin.

"How is this possible?" she questioned.

"Faust's enchantment could only last as long as he allowed it." Batman explained.

"So now that he's gone, there's nothing keeping the spell alive." Diana pieced together, holding her mother close. "It's a miracle."

"Athena be praised." Hippolyta let out.

...

Much later, the League stood before Hippolyta and the Amazons, Kari still in J'honn's grip. She smiled upon them all, addressing them as Diana stood next to her.

"And for your brave assistance and the sorcerer Faust and the Mad God Hades, you have earned our eternal gratitude." she declared.

"You hear that?" Flash asked to one of the amazons. "Eternal gratitude. After she hands out the medals, how about you and I take a private tour of paradise?"

The amazon glared at him and Kari smacked him.

"Do you ever shut up?" she hissed.

"What?" Flash asked.

"Before you leave," Hippolyta continued. "Please accept these royal offerings."

Diana stepped down, handing each member of the league a golden laurel wreath. Kari balanced hers on her head, Flash doing the same as Hippolyta continued.

"You are all truly heroes." she declared.

"Thank you." Superman told her, bowing respectfully.

With the ceremony done, Hippolyta's demeanor became stern, and her voice became hard.

"Diana, Princess of Themyscira!" she called out. "Stand forth!"

Diana turned to her mother and bowed.

"As your mother, I am overjoyed that you have finally returned to us." She told her. "But as your Queen, I must uphold the sacred laws of our land. By bringing these men upon our soil, you have committed the highest act of treason. This cannot be overlooked."

Diana's fists clenched, having expected something like this would happen. She bowed her head, looking away as her mother passed judgement. Hippolyta rose to her feet, her voice heavy with sadness.

"It is with a heavy heart that I must exile you from Themyscira." she said.

"What?" Superman gasped.

"You can't do that!" Flash shouted. "She saved you. She saved all of you and you're just going to kick her out!"

"You can't punish her for doing everything to protect her people." Kari insisted. "Where's the justice in that?"

"All of you, enough." Diana pleaded. "My mother is right. I knew what would happen when I brought you here, and I will accept her judgement."

She then met her mother's eyes, tears already beginning to fall.

"The fates were against us, mother." Diana choked, turning around and closing her eyes. "Goodbye."

The amazons that had gathered all stood at attention, presenting arms as Diana walked towards the javelin. The league began following her, though Flash was far from done.

"That's it?" He let out. "You're just gonna walk away?"

Batman grabbed him by the arm, speaking quietly into his ear.

"Don't make this harder than it already is." he told him.

He then pulled Flash along, the league reaching the Javelin in a somber parade. Diana prepared to step on, but something stayed her movement. J'honn stopped beside her, allowing Kari to place a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." she said quietly.

Diana straightened up, wiping her eyes.

"Let's go." She resolved.

The League entered the Javelin, the ship taking off into the sky as Hippolyta watched.

"Goodbye, my little sun and stars." she whispered as the ship disappeared.


	7. War World

The endless reaches of space, a peaceful vastness that while beautiful, was not without danger. Near the rings of Saturn, one of the many asteroids that made up its rings had been knocked off course, and would eventually reach earth. However, the League was already a few steps ahead.

Superman shoved a probe into the asteroid, reading the composition of the stone. J'honn floated off to the side, a tablet in hand as he read the outlines. As he did, Kari bobbed over, peeking over his shoulder.

"How're we looking?" she asked.

"32% Iron oxide, 21% carbon, 19% silicon." J'honn listed off.

"You getting this, Hawkgirl?" Superman asked.

Back in the Watchtower, Hawkgirl looked over the data before turning to her comm.

" _As if you were in the next room_." she replied. " _I'm sending your data through back-up analysis as we speak._ "

"Still can't believe this thing is three miles wide." Kari remarked. "If this thing hit the earth, we'd have an extinction level event that rivaled the dinosaurs."

"That's why we're here." Superman replied.

J'honn took Kari's arm, pulling her away as Superman flew over with a large bomb. He slammed it into the crust of the asteroid, activating it. J'honn grabbed another bomb and did the same. The two shared a thumbs up, then they flew back to the waiting Javelin with Kari. She looked back at the asteroid, smiling.

"Thanks for letting me tag along." she told them. "It's nice being in space. The zero g's is amazing."

" _Just wait until the fireworks._ " Hawkgirl told her.

"You sure you can handle it, J'honn?" Superman questioned.

"I will have to." he replied. "With Green Lantern on another assignment, there was no one else capable of completing the task."

Kari took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I got you." she promised. "Don't worry."

As the countdown continued, Hawkgirl saw something on the monitors. She gasped, immediately turning to the comms.

" _Superman!_ " she cried out. " _The other 28% of the asteroid is hydrogen gas! Get away from that thing before it-!_ "

The asteroid then exploded into bits, igniting the hydrogen gas and causing a much larger combustion than anticipated. The three Leaguers were blown out into open space, the explosion tearing through the Javelin like it was made of tissue paper. In the Watchtower, Hawkgirl's comms were nearly blown out by the sudden explosion. She yelped in pain, pulling the receiver from her ear. Suddenly, everything went dead. The reading were reduced to static, as was the comms. She picked it up again, trying desperately to reach them.

" _Superman!_ " she shouted. " _J'honn! Kari! Do you read me?!_ "

Upon getting no answer, Hawkgirl slowly lowered the receiver, fearing the worst.

...

At the wreckage of the crash site, bits of the asteroid floated amongst the pieces of the javelin. Superman, J'honn, and Kari were floating aimlessly as well, their space suits miraculously undamaged. They were all unconscious though, and thus helpless as a large alien craft closed in on them.

"Life functions still active sir." one of the aliens of the ship announced.

The captain of the ship looked out at the wreck.

"Incredible." he let out. "Bring them aboard."

A blue tractor beam then engulfed the three of them and pulled them on board.

...

Unsure of what to do, Hawkgirl had called the first League she thought of. When he got there and she explained what happened, he was less than thrilled.

"How could you let this happen?!" Green Lantern demanded. "You were supposed to be monitoring them!"

"What to do think I was doing, filing my nails?" Hawkgirl snapped. "I kept an eye on the readings and alerted them the second I knew about the hydrogen pockets."

"Well now, three of our teammates are out there, injured." GL continued. "Maybe worse."

"You wanna stand around, pointing fingers all day," Hawkgirl asked, "or do you want to do something about this?"

GL lifted up his ring hand, green energy buzzing on the top.

"Let's go." he declared.

...

Superman slowly came to, finding himself suspended by his wrists. His space suit was gone, and he was not alone. Many other aliens, some unconscious, other barely so, were in a state similar to his own. Off to the side, he could see J'honn and Kari, both of them still out cold.

"J'honn..." he let out. "Kari..."

He tried pulling free of the bonds, but they were electrified. As he sagged back down, a pair of aliens watched him.

"Your instincts were right about this one, Captain." one of the aliens spoke up. "My tests say he's a Kryptonian."

"A Kryptonian." the captain marveled. "I thought they were all extinct."

"Apparently not." the first alien replied.

"A rare specimen, and a strong one to boot." the captain mused. "He should do well on War World."

Superman didn't have long to contemplate the fate these aliens had placed on him. The force of the electric shocks, as well as the fatigue and wounds from the explosion, pulled him back into the black abyss of unconsciousness.

...

The aforementioned War World was a barbaric planet, one where the daily fights were a common spectacle. The bloodthirsty masses cheered as gladiators fought to the gruesome finish, often ending with the loser's demise. At the current time, the undefeated champion of the fights was a being known as Draaga. The entire arena cheered his name, throwing their fists in the air

"Save your cheers, that's not what Draaga fights for!" Draaga declared, lifting up his axe. "Draaga fights for honor!

The masses broke out into applause at this as Draaga turned his attention towards a large balcony.

"And for our great leader, The Great Mongol!" he shouted.

From an entry in that balcony, entered a large humanoid creature with yellow skin and purple garb with a metal headpiece on the back of his head sitting on a hovering throne that moved out to the edge.

"Well said, Draaga." Mongol agreed, standing up. "But I wonder what your opponent thinks. Don't you?!"

The crowds erupted in response, much to Mongol's elation. He grinned viciously, then began the introduction.

"He hails from parts unknown, at a weight of 720 mass units." He began. "Meet Krodar the Terrible!"

A panel next to Draaga opened, allowing a strange, techno-organic jellyfish looking alien to emerge. It had several weapons attached to its tentacles, ranging from knives to guns. It squelched over to its place, awaiting the battle to begin. Krodar fired off a shot, blasting off a nearby outreaching spike, which crashed to the ground.

"He prefers to let his weapons do the talking." Mongol advertised. "And that's exactly what they'll do, on War World!"

The crowds began cheering once more, shouting 'War World' over and over again. As they did, a teleportation gun emerged from under Mongol's balcony. The shooter on duty blasted both gladiators, transporting them to the arena, War World's ruined moon.

The entire moon was covered in burnt-out buildings and piles of rubble. Whether they were remnants of a civilization or merely a setting for the games was unknown. However, no life existed on the moon, save for the two gladiators sent there.

Once he arrived on the moon, Draaga readied his axe, prepared to defend himself. When he realized his opponent was not there, he took off into the ruins, several floating camera droids following his movements. These droids are what allowed the arena back on War World to enjoy the fight, playing the fight from various angles.

As Draaga continued to skulk through the ruins, he kept a sharp eye out for his opponent. Suddenly, one of Krodar's tentacles shot out and grabbed him by the neck. Thinking fast, Draaga sliced the tentacle clean off, freeing himself. Krodar screamed in pain, firing at Draaga with its gun. Draaga easily avoided the blasts, then launched his axe at the building Krodar was clinging to. It crumbled around the alien jellyfish, burying it in rubble.

As the dust began to settle, Draaga got to his feet, reclaiming his axe. As he grabbed it, what remained of Krodar's body lurched out, fizzing and bleeding a black ichor. Though it was still alive, it was clearly in no position to fight. The crowds began booing and jeering, angry at how quickly the fight had been decided.

"Once again, the winner is mighty Draaga." Mongol declared.

"Shall I spare him my lord?" Draaga asked.

"What say the rest of you?" Mongol proposed to the crowds.

The crowd began howling for blood, calling for the death of Krodar. Mongol smiled, having expected as much.

"The people have spoken!" he declared, throwing his arms into the air. "Long live Democracy!"

Draaga then brought his axe down on Krodar, killing him instantly. Even still, the crowd was restless and angry, still mad about the short fight. Upon realizing this, Mongol lowered his arms, scowling bitterly.

...

Back onboard the ship carrying the captive Leaguers, a call came in for the captain. He answered it, an image of Mongol now dominating the front window of the ship.

" _Captain._ " Mongol greeted. " _I want you to hear something._ "

The sounds of various 'boos' from the crowd began ringing out.

" _They're expressing their disappointment in the last specimen you brought._ " Mongol elaborated.

"Great Mongol, please-" The captain tried.

" _A dozen creatures you brought me, and not a single one could last more than two minutes against Draaga._ "

"I promise, the next one will be sure to please you." The captain insisted. "I have managed to locate a Kryptonian, no doubt one of the last survivors of that decimated planet."

" _A Kryptonian, you say._ " Mongol pondered. " _This may have promise._ "

"I guarantee you Lord Mongol, he'll give Draaga the fight of his life." the captain promised.

" _He'd better._ " Mongol threatened before cutting off.

The captain released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, genuinely afraid for his life.

...

GL and Hawkgirl arrived at the wreck of the Javelin, both of them surrounded in a bubble of green energy. They'd followed the ship's tracking beacon, which was thankfully still active. They looked around, Hawkgirl holding her mace nervously.

"I don't see them." she told her companion.

"The blast wasn't powerful enough to vaporize them." GL muttered. "A passing ship must have seen the explosion and came to the rescue."

"Either that, or they decided to take advantage of three helpless castaways." Hawkgirl added.

"Right." GL let out, scanning the wreck for any trace of an ion trail.

After a bit of looking, he finally caught sight of one.

"Got it." he announced. "Our 'Good Samaritans' went this way."

He then chased after the trail, Hawkgirl in tow.

...

Deep in the bowels of War World, various alien slaves were chained to the walls and support columns. Superman was among them, Draaga standing over him before delivering a cruel kick to the Man of Steel's stomach. He let out a grunt as Draaga lorded over him, scowling in disgust.

"Pathetic." He criticized. "The whole lot of you. Not real warrior in the bunch!"

He then bent down, meeting Superman's eyes.

"And you, the Kryptonian." he continued. "You're the biggest disappointment of all."

He then spat in his face before walking away. Once he was gone, Superman easily snapped the chains binding him, wiping his face with his sleeve. A mantis-like alien watched him in surprise.

"Why didn't you do that when Draaga was here?" he questioned.

"It's called turning the other cheek." Superman explained. "I have to find some friends of mine."

He then walked towards the doors of the large cell, easily punching it away. Once he was out in the halls, he began to hear a familiar voice.

"Wake up, J'honn!" Kari begged. "We need to get out of here!"

He followed the voice, eventually entering a large room mostly taken up by the dead bodies of past gladiators. Off to the side, Kari was shaking J'honn as hard as she could, looking out at the water in terror.

"Wake up!" she cried out.

"Kari?" Superman called out.

Kari turned in an instant.

"Superman!" she cheered. "We have to get out of here, now!"

"What's going on?" he questioned. "What are you afraid of?"

Just them a large alligator like creature came up out of the murky water, leering towards them. It roared loudly as Kari went pale.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked.

Superman flew forward and punched the creature in the face. The creature reeled a bit before charging forward. Superman punched it again, this time so hard it fell back into the water. Once the creature was dealt with, Superman went back over to J'honn and Kari.

"You two okay?" He asked.

"I'm okay." Kari assured him. "Unfortunately, these guys found out I'm crippled and dumped me down here. As for J'honn, he's barely conscious, and can hardly move. This place… it's draining him."

"Well it won't be for long." Superman promised. "We're getting out of here."

He scooped up J'honn under one arm and Kari under the other. He then started carrying the two out of the croc pit and back up into the main hallway.

"Which way?" Kari questioned.

About that time, a low moan emanated from the Martian as he stirred in Superman's grip. He looked up, then his eyes widened.

"Look out!" he warned.

Superman just barely dodged some oncoming blaster fire, coming from security robots closing in on them.

"Looks like that way's out of the question." he declared, taking off in the opposite direction.

They ran around the corner, Superman depositing J'honn and Kari on the ground as he ripped a chunk of the wall off. He then chucked it around the corner at the robots, destroying them. One of the gun arms skittered across the floor towards Kari, allowing her to grab it. She primed it as more robots came charging at them, blasting them away as she covered J'honn.

"Thank you for all those shooting lessons, Bats." she said quietly.

"Up there!" J'honn pointed out, gesturing upward.

The two looked and saw a hole in the ceiling created by the blast. Superman grabbed the two and flew straight up out of the hole and towards the city outside the arena. As he flew towards the edge of the arena however, an invisible energy field stopped him from leaving.

Superman and Kari plummeted to the ground, but J'honn ended up going flying through the field, landing on the other side. The three slowly sat up, Superman reaching for the barrier. The second his hand touched it, he ended up electrocuting himself. Kari was met with a similar result when she tried.

"No!" she cried out. "Damnit!"

"It's a force field." Superman realized.

J'honn began getting to his feet, obviously shaky and weak. When he saw his friends trapped on the other side, he moved to help them. Unfortunately, that's when more robotic guards appeared, closing in on the two trapped Leaguers.

"J'honn, you need to get out of here!" Superman insisted. "Go!"

"I won't leave you!" J'honn insisted.

"You'll have a better chance of helping us from out there!" Superman told him. "Now go!"

Kari kept firing on the robots, but after about three shots, her gun fizzled out. The soldiers moved in, grabbing her as more shot at Superman. The blasts knocked him out, allowing the robots to cart him away. J'honn watched his friends get carried off, then reluctantly ran from the arena.

...

Hundreds of lightyears away, GL and Hawkgirl were still following the ion trail through the cosmos. Unfortunately, they came across a small problem when their trail crossed paths with several others. GL brought the pair to a stop at that, cursing under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Hawkgirl asked.

"This area is a well-traveled space line." He explained. "The trail from the ship carrying Superman, J'honn and Kari is getting mixed in with half a dozen other trails."

"Probably because of that." Hawkgirl suggested, pointing to a small planetoid off to the side.

"Looks like a refueling station." GL deduced.

"You think, Sherlock?" Hawkgirl quipped. "Let's just go down there and see if anyone's seen our friends."

"Who's driving this thing, anyway?" GL asked.

Still, he did as he was told and directed them down towards the planetoid.

...

In Mongol's throne room, the monarch listened as his advisor informed him of the state of his planet. He was not surprised to hear that things were looking grim for his people, but it did not change how little he cared.

"Food rations are being cut by 15%." the advisor began. "The medical shortages continue, and we've had a rash of blackouts that continue to grow in length and frequency. Dissent continues to grow amongst the people, and I fear that if this continues, we may have a rebellion on our hands."

Mongol scoffed, waving a bored hand.

"You bore me with these petty complaints." He dismissed. "There won't be a rebellion."

He then got off his throne and walked over to a window overlooking the arena.

"Not if I can keep giving them fights." He continued. "Good ones. Ones that will take their minds off their petty troubles."

As he said this, the security bots dragged a semi-conscious Superman and a struggling Kari into the throne room. Mongol stared at them in confusion, contempt, and annoyance.

"Let go of us, you stupid rust buckets!" Kari screamed.

"What's this?" Mongol asked.

"The Kryptonian and his broken humanoid companion." the advisor answered. "Apparently they tried to escape."

"Get these robots to let me go, and I'll show you just how tough this 'broken' humanoid can be!" Kari challenged.

"Your friend is quite spirited." Mongol noted. "Now what can be done about that?"

"Leave… her alone..." Superman growled.

"So you wish to take her punishment?" Mongol questioned. "Fine by me. I was hoping to warm you up with a few preliminary matches, but now it seems I'll have to make an example out of you. Take him to Draaga!"

The robots began dragging Superman away, much to Kari's horror.

"No!" she screamed. "Stop this! You can't do this!"

In anger, Mongol slapped Kari hard across the face. She dropped, out once more and with a large bruise on her face.

"Bring her to the ring." He ordered. "Let her watch as her Kryptonian friend meets his match. Perhaps that will curb that insolent tongue of hers."

They dragged her off as well as Mongol looked out at the arena, excited about the upcoming match.

...

Back in the fueling station, GL and Hawkgirl were interrogating some of the various lowlifes who frequented the planetoid. GL had one pinned against the wall, the bruises on the guy suggesting he'd been under the Green Lantern's thumb for a while.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" the alien insisted. "I don't know nothing! I mind my own business, and you should too."

GL then threw him against another wall in frustration.

"My friends are missing." He told him. "That is my business."

"Sorry pal, but I ain't your guy." the alien insisted. "Around here, you stick your nose out and you're liable to lose it."

"Why is that?" GL asked, dropping him.

"There's a lot going on." The alien explained. "Smuggling, bootlegging, slave trading-"

Just then, a blue alien came flying through the window of a nearby pub. As he landed on the ground, Hawkgirl came climbing through the broken window, looking beyond pissed. The alien GL had been interrogating took off as GL approached his irritated teammate. The three aliens began circling Hawkgirl before moving in. She easily kicked the first two aside before being dogpiled by one of them. The other two followed suit piling on her. Finally, GL intervened and used his ring to grab the three of them and lift them into the air.

"Let me guess, it was something you said." GL remarked, deactivating his ring and letting them fall.

"I was doing fine, you know." she snapped, getting up and dusting herself off.

"I've got more important things to do than save your butt." GL said sternly.

"Listen, those three knew something about what happened to our friends." Hawkgirl insisted. "And now, thanks to you, they're getting away."

"Hold on, don't get your panties in a bunch." GL told her.

Hawkgirl just looked at him blankly.

"What are 'panties'?" she questioned. "And what do they have to do with those guys getting away."

This time it was GL's turn to go silent.

"Never mind." He replied before shooting his ring out and grabbing one of the aliens as he tried to run.

The alien struggled in the grip of the green energy before he was deposited into GL's grip. He struggled slightly, but GL quickly quelled that.

"Relax." GL told him. "All we want is information about our friends. You can talk to me, or you can talk to her."

He gestured to Hawkgirl with his thumb, the Thanagarian slapping her mace against her palm. The alien looked at her, then back at GL.

"There was talk of a Kryptonian being found in the middle of a wrecked ship." the alien explained. "Some slavers picked him and his buddies up, taking them to War World."

"War World?" GL questioned.

"Nasty place." the alien told them. "Heavy into carnage for the masses."

"Gladiatorial fights." Hawkgirl surmised before realization dawned. "If that's the case, then they'll have no use for anyone who can't fight."

Realizing what that meant, GL turned to the alien with a cold glare.

"You're taking us there, now." he snarled coldly.

...

Back on War World, the next fight had been announced, drawing the entire planet to the arena. Amongst the spectators was J'honn, wearing a ratted cloak to disguise himself since he was too weak to maintain a transformation for long periods of time. As he doddled there, the atmosphere robbing him of his momentum, one of the spectators bumped into him.

"Move it!" She snapped. "You don't wanna miss the fight!"

"So many spectators." J'honn noted. "Do these people not have families, or jobs?"

"Jobs?" the old hag cackled. "Don't know where you've been pal, but there ain't no jobs here."

"That is dreadful." J'honn lamented.

"You wanna talk dreadful, you should have seen the last games." the hag replied before continuing inside.

...

Inside the arena, Mongol sat before his people yet again to introduce the fight. The first to rise up on the stage was Draaga, much to the elation of the crowd. He raised an axe, calling out to them.

"Let anyone who dares to challenge me come forward!" He shouted. "No matter where they come from, they will all fall before Draaga!"

The crowds roared as Mongol began to address the crowds.

"Citizens of War World," Mongol addressed. "Today, Draaga will face his greatest foe: the man from Krypton!"

Superman was brought up next to Draaga, thick shackles on his wrists. The crowd gasped at the sight of him, including J'honn. As one of the robots freed him from his shackles, Mongol turned to Kari, who saw on the ground with her hands chained behind her. She stared out at Superman, clearly nervous. Seeing the look on her face brought a smile to Mongol's. One of the droids flew out to Superman and freed him from his bonds, before handing him a battle axe.

"Are you ready Kryptonian?" Mongol asked.

"I may be a prisoner Mongol," Superman spoke before breaking his axe. "But I'm no executioner.

The crowd was surprised, but Kari just smirked.

"You really think you can control Superman?" she jeered. "He'll never bow to your whims."

"Perhaps," Mongol replied. "But let's just see how long his idealism will last on… War World!"

With that, Draaga and Superman were both beamed to the planet's moon, the screen coming to life and showing the two combatants.

Before Superman even had a chance to get his bearings, Draaga came running up, swinging his axe. Superman barely dodged the initial attack, the blade just slicing a bit of his costume.

"Draaga!" Superman called out. "We don't have to do this."

"That's where you're wrong, Kryptonian." Draaga replied. "We must. There's no other choice."

He charged again, nearly bringing the axe down on Superman's head. Superman quickly grabbed it by the handle and struggled to keep it from coming down on his face. Draaga then punched Superman, knocking him back into a fallen wall. Superman then scrambled to get away from another swing, part of his cape getting caught in the blade.

Once his cape tore free, Superman tackled Draaga, knocking him down and claiming his axe. He wasted no time using his heat vision to melt the blade. Once he discarded the handle, Draaga tried coming up from behind and punching him. However, Superman just dodged the blow, picked him up, and threw him into the ground.

"Yes!" Kari cheered. "Go Superman!"

Mongol looked down at her, then back at the fight, surprised by the turn of events. Back in the fight, Draaga grabbed a giant piece of rock and threw it at Superman. The Man of Steel quickly leapt on and over the rock as it sailed past. He landed safely on the ground as Draaga grabbed a broken pole, throwing it like a javelin. Superman ducked under it as Draaga tackled him through a wall. As Draaga threw him to the ground, he began wailing on Superman endlessly.

"No..." J'honn gasped.

Kari strained against her chains, watching with a pained expression as Superman was savagely beaten. The crowd, however, did not share their sentiment. They were cheering loudly, happy to have finally gotten a good fight. Mongol just smirked, confident in how the fight would end.

"Give it to him, Draaga!" the old hag from before jeered. "Kill that lousy Kryptonian!"

For a moment, it almost seemed like she'd get her wish. Superman slumped in Draaga's grip, his hand flopping over to a pipe. However, his hand merely wrapped around it before he bashed Draaga in the face with it. Once Draaga was off of him, Superman got up and socked him in the face so hard he went flying out of the structure.

In a desperate gamble to win, Draaga scraped up a small handful of dirt, blowing it in Superman's face. The Man of Steel rubbed it away, only to see Draaga's fist connect with his face. This was followed by two more attacks before Draaga grabbed him by his cape, pulling him back before dropping the cape unceremoniously over his face. He then began to pull a large slab of stone out of the rubble, his intentions clear.

"No!" Kari shrieked. "Superman, get out of there!"

Draaga then brought the slab down on him, but Superman was quick to stop it. They struggled over it for a few seconds, then Superman shoved it away. Draaga stumbled, holding the stone above his head as Superman delivered another punch to his face. This caused Draaga to fall, and the slab to fall on top of him. Even Mongol seemed to be smiling at this turn of events. As Superman walked over to take the slab off of him, Draaga punched through it, nailing Superman in the face.

As Superman fell, Draaga grabbed another rock and threw it at him, connecting with his face. With his opponent momentarily incapacitated, Draaga set his sights on a giant rock slab, running towards it. It was cracked near the bottom, a flaw Draaga took advantage of by striking it in this weak spot. It crumbled a bit, allowing Draaga to lift the giant slab off its perch and over his head.

By this point, Superman was coming to, rubbing his face as the slab came flying at him. He barely had a chance to stand up before the slab came down, crushing him. The crowd cheered at Superman's apparent defeat, J'honn looking away in anguish and Kari fighting back tears.

"Superman..." she sobbed.

One of the camera bots flew over to Draaga, who lorded over Superman's slab.

"The Kryptonian has fallen!" he declared. "Draaga claims victory!"

Just then, the slab started shaking and cracking. It then exploded in a massive shockwave, revealing Superman still alive and kicking.

"Enough!" Superman declared.

Kari and J'honn both smiled in relief as Superman emerged from the dust.

"Yes." J'honn let out.

Draaga pushed a piece of rubble off of himself, attempting to fight once more. Superman simply socked him across the jaw, sending him stumbling back. This was followed by three more blows before Draaga was sent face first into a rock slab. The warrior made a vain attempt to swipe at Superman, but his strength was clearly gone. He leaned against the rock slab, sliding to the ground in exhaustion and defeat.

"He won..." Kari whispered before brightening. "He won!"

"Not yet he hasn't." Mongol told her before rising to his feet to address the crowd. "A stunning development! The Kryptonian has emerged the greater in his fight. Now, the fate of his opponent. What say you?!"

The crowd began booing and jeering, calling for Draaga's head. J'honn looked around the crowd, realizing what Mongol planned have Superman do.

"It's unanimous then!" Mongol declared. "The people have spoken! Finish him."

"I refuse." Superman said.

"You think you have a choice?" Mongol snapped. "I order you to finish him!"

"No." Superman answered.

"Do it..." Draaga groaned, drawing Superman's attention. "Give me… an honorable death. Here… on the battlefield."

"Sorry." Superman told him, looking away. "But I can't."

"How can I live with this shame?" Draaga asked. "Don't make me beg."

"Do as he says." Mongol told him. "This is your last chance. Either he dies…"

Just then, several security drones surrounded Superman, weapons at the ready.

"Or you do." Mongol finished.

"Greater men then you have tried." Superman told him.

"Then so be it." Mongol said, waving a hand.

Instantly, the robots began firing on Superman, catching him in a continuous stream of painful energy. He howled in agony, much to the horror of his friends.

"No!" Kari cried out. "Stop this! Please!"

"Your friend made his choice." Mongol replied.

"The Kryptonian won!" J'honn cried out. "Don't you want to see him fight again?!"

"Well… I'll admit he's pretty good!" The old hag commented. "A real champ!"

"He's more than that!" J'honn insisted. "He's a Superman!"

The robots stopped firing, a camera moving in on Superman to see if he was still alive. To Mongol's surprise, he began to stir. The monarch actually stumbled back a step as Superman glared at the camera defiantly.

"Is that the best you can do?" the Man of Steel taunted.

"You're tougher than I thought." Mongol conceded. "But I doubt even you could survive a high powered blast at close range."

"Take your best shot." Superman challenged.

Snarling, Mongol did just that, ordering the robots to fire once again. As they powered up their blasters, J'honn jumped to his feet.

"Superman!" He chanted. "Superman! Superman!"

Kari perked up at J'honn's voice, fighting the urge to search the crowd as she joined in the chant.

"Superman!" she shouted, shaking her chains in time to the chant. "Superman! Superman!"

Soon the rest of the crowd began joining in, shouting Superman's name. Mongol looked out at them all, his brow furrowed in annoyance as his advisor turned to him.

"If you execute him now, you'll have a riot on your hands." he warned.

Kari paused her chant, looking up at Mongol with a cocky grin.

"He's right." she quipped. "After all, the people have spoken."

Mongol growled in response.

"Very well." Mongol conceded. "The Kryptonian lives."

The crowd all cheered as the robots powered down their weapons. J'honn sagged back into his seat in relief, grateful his impromptu plan worked.

…

Later, Superman and an unconscious Draaga were transported back into the slave pens. Not long after that, Kari was blasted in as well, since Mongol was growing tired of her gloating face.

"Superman!" she shouted.

"Kari." He called back.

He turned and picked her up, easily snapping the chains on her cuffs so she could throw her arms around him.

"Thank God you're okay..." she said quietly. "I was a little worried for a minute there."

"I appreciate the concern." Superman replied.

"You got guts, Kryptonian." one of the other slaves announced, approaching the pair. "Nobody's ever defied Mongol and lived."

"Draaga tried, but he decided he'd rather live than die a pointless death." another slave added.

"After what you did today, you deserve to live too." a third slave said. "We've arranged an escape for you and your friend there."

"There's a garbage scow that's headed off planet." the first slave explained. "Once you're free, you can get back to your home planet, wherever that is."

"We can't." Kari insisted. "J'honn's still on the planet. I heard him in the crowd during the fight. We can't just leave him here."

"We won't." Superman promised. "But it's not safe for you here."

Kari wanted to argue, but he quickly cut her off.

"I know you don't want to leave J'honn, but now that I've made an enemy of Mongol, he'll use any leverage he can against me." he rationalized. "That includes you."

She let out a sigh, then met Superman's eyes.

"Fine." she told him. "But the second I get off planet, I'm going to find the nearest Green Lantern and get in contact with John. I am coming back."

"I know." Superman replied.

He handed her over to one of the slaves, who took her in their arms before heading off. Two more aliens then grabbed Draaga's unconscious body

"What are you gonna do with him?" Superman asked.

"Take him where the weak and defeated always go." one of the aliens answered.

"That croc pit." Kari realized. "You can't do that."

"Kid, Draaga ain't the kind of guy you want to spare." the alien holding her explained. "Since your Kryptonian friend defeated him, he won't rest until he evens the score."

Superman looked down at the fallen champion, and came up with an idea.

"Think he'll fit on that garbage scow?" he asked.

The aliens looked at Superman and Kari, who just nodded to Superman's request.

"I can't tell if these two are brave, or just plain crazy." the one holding Kari remarked.

"Definitely crazy." One of the aliens holding Draaga insisted.

...

Back with GL and Hawkgirl, the two leaguers were stuffed in the back of a cramped ship, their unwilling guide taking them to War World. Their ride was uncomfortable to say the least.

"Ouch!" Hawkgirl yelped. "Get off my wing!"

"I'm trying." GL assured her.

"I still say we should have just flown with your ring rather than let this guy shove us into this rust bucket." she snarled.

"Look lady, the galaxy ain't exactly small." the alien remarked. "I need my navi-computer to find War World."

"He's right." GL concurred.

"Great, take his side." Hawkgirl grumbled.

"I'm not taking his side." GL insisted. "I'm just saying-"

"I know exactly what you're saying." Hawkgirl interjected. "I'm wrong again and I should just shut up and blindly follow orders."

The alien glanced back at the two Leaguers, watching as they began to get into it.

"Y'know, I'm getting real sick of your attitude." GL responded. "Is everyone on Thanagar this thick headed?"

"Thick headed?!" Hawkgirl exclaimed. "Why you self-centered, green-eyed-!"

The alien took advantage of their fight, raising up a barrier between himself and the leaguers. He then activated a special feature in the back chamber, filling it with knockout gas.

"And another thing," Hawkgirl continued. "Just because you have that fancy ring, doesn't make you-"

She then inhaled some of the gas and began coughing. GL did the same, both of them breaking down into coughing fits. The two banged on the barrier, futily trying to escape. Hawkgirl managed to crack it before they both succumbed to the gases effects. They collapsed on top of one another, much to the alien's amusement.

...

Meanwhile, on a garbage dump, the War World garbage scow dumped its haul down onto the surface. Along with the several pounds of garbage, Draaga and Kari came falling out, landing in a heap. The sudden descent roused Draaga from his forced slumber, just in time to watch the scow fly off.

"What?" he let out. "No!"

"Glad you're finally awake, Draaga." Kari groaned, forcing herself to sit up. "You slept like the dead the entire flight."

Draaga ignored her as he ran towards the ship, trying to catch it. Unfortunately, it left before he had the chance. He cried out in fury.

"Look, it's not coming back." Kari called out to him. "We're free now. You can go home, and I can find my way to a Green Lantern outpost."

"I must go back!" Draaga let out. "I must return to War World."

"Are you insane?" she insisted. "If Superman hadn't put you on that scow with me, you'd be croc chow!"

"He denied me the chance to redeem myself!" Draaga retorted.

"He saved your life!" Kari screamed.

He just ignored her as he grabbed a piece of metal from a burning pile and bent into an S.

"What are you doing?" Kari questioned.

"He threw me away like someone's garbage." Draaga growled. "And I will never forgive him for that."

He then shoved the burning metal against his chest, right where Superman's S usually was. He howled in pain as he branded himself, removing the S and tossing it aside. Kari stared at him in shock as he climbed down from his perch, his chest still smoking as he grabbed her by the back of her shirt.

"You… You and the Kryptonian are close." he observed. "You call him by name, and he helped you escape."

"He's my friend." Kari told him, more than a little nervous. "That's why I have to find help, and save him."

"And how do you plan to do that?" he questioned. "Only scavengers and refuse can be found here."

Kari went pale at that as Draaga dropped her back onto the ground.

"But fear not." he told her. "You are my only connection to the Kryptonian now. Until my vengeance is fulfilled, you will be safe in my care."

He then sat down next to her, nothing to do but wait and hope for rescue.

...

The next day in War World, Mongol's advisor walked through the streets of the city, making his way towards the royal palace. As he did, he spotted a young teen spray painting on the wall. It didn't take a genius to see he was painting the Superman symbol, which had become a beacon of hope to the people after he'd stood up to Mongol.

"Hey!" the advisor called out, startling the kid. "You! Stop that!"

The kid dropped his spray can in a panic, running away before disappearing through a hole in a wall. The advisor then picked up the fallen spray can and noted the symbol on the wall. To his surprise, it was one of many that dotted the city.

...

Back at Mongol's palace, he was quickly becoming irritated by the constant chanting of Superman's name.

"Listen to them!" Mongol spoke. "Why do they flock to him?!"

"Because the Kryptonian is so powerful, he doesn't fear anyone." The advisor explained. "Not even you."

"Then we must teach him fear." Mongol declared.

…

Hawkgirl began to stir, finally shaking off the effects of the gas. As her eyes fluttered open, she found herself alone on a barren planet.

"Lantern?" She let out.

"Over here." he called out, approaching from over a hill. "Looks like we got taken for a ride."

"Where are we?" Hawkgirl questioned.

"I haven't the faintest idea." GL answered. "From the looks of it, our ride decided to ditch us on this rock."

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted that slimy son of a-" Hawkgirl began.

"Calm down." GL told her.

"Easy for you to say." Hawkgirl replied. "We're stuck on a planet we don't recognize. We don't know where War World is, or even how to get back to earth. I mean, I fail to see how our situation could get any worse!"

"My ring could get us home," GL said. "But without knowing where exactly we are, we can't take the risk it'll run out of power before we find another habitable world."

"So… we can't get home." Hawkgirl realized. "And the two of us will be trapped here."

"Maybe forever." GL added.

"Oh..." Hawkgirl let out, sagging somewhat. "It just got worse."

As Hawkgirl walked off, she took off into the air, landing behind an outcropping of rocks for a moment of privacy, GL flew up next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry." he told her. "I've been hard on you ever since this mess happened. I guess I was just so worried about our teammates that I lashed out at you."

"I didn't exactly help matters either." Hawkgirl admitted. "I- lights!"

GL turned and saw some bright lights off in the distance.

"Maybe we're not the only ones here after all." He rationalized.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Hawkgirl questioned, grabbing GL's hand. "Let's go!"

The two then flew off to investigate the lights.

...

Rather than finding any sign of civilization, they came across a decrepit camp, no doubt set up by scavengers or another poor soul stranded there. They landed, Hawkgirl looking around in disgust.

"What a dump." she remarked.

"I've seen worse." GL replied.

"I'll bet." Hawkgirl quipped.

As they looked around, something moved behind a pile of rubble. GL noticed the movement, signaling to Hawkgirl. She nodded, readying her mace. He then sent out an energy blast, grabbing the rubble and yanking it out of the way. Much to his surprise, this revealed a figure they did NOT expect to see.

"Kari?" Hawkgirl questioned.

"Hawkgirl!" Kari cried out. "GL! You found me!"

She was dirty, her clothes slightly torn and the broken shackles still on her wrists, but she seemed relatively unharmed.

"Glad to see you're alright." GL told her, boosting her up with his ring. "Are Superman and J'honn with you?"

"No." she answered. "They're still on War World. J'honn was weakened by the atmosphere, but was able to escape from the arena. Superman was forced into a fight, and after standing up to their tyrannical ruler, he earned the respect of the other slaves and they offered him an escape route. He turned it down so he could help J'honn, but arranged for me to escape. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one Superman released."

"What do you mean?" GL asked.

That's when Draaga emerged from the shadows, gripping a makeshift axe in his hands.

"Release her now, or lose your hand, Green Lantern." the former champion threatened.

"Draaga, stop." Kari insisted. "They're my friends. Superman's friends!"

Draaga stopped upon hearing that.

"Is that so?" He pondered.

"We need to get to War World." GL told him. "I'm assuming you can help us?"

"Indeed I can." Draaga confirmed.

...

Sometime later, the four of them were flying in one of GL's energy bubbles across the galaxy.

"We're almost there." Draaga assured them.

Hawkgirl looked at Draaga, noting the burn on his chest. She then turned to Kari.

"Did he always have that?" she asked.

Kari shook her head.

"He did that to himself not long after we were dumped on the garbage planet." she explained. "He believes Superman robbed him of an honorable death on the battlefield. Because of this, he's sworn vengeance."

"Then why are we bringing him with us?" Hawkgirl questioned.

"Because he's the only one who knows how to get to War World." GL answered.

"There it is!" Draaga announced, pointing towards the planet.

...

Once they reached the planet's surface, they continued flying around on the lookout for their friends. GL and Hawkgirl marveled at the size of the place as Kari sighed.

"Back again." she let out.

"Well we won't be staying for long." GL told her. "Once we find Superman and J'honn, we're out of here."

"We know where Superman is, but what about J'honn?" Hawkgirl questioned.

"That's your problem." Draaga announced.

Before anyone could react, Draaga punched GL with all his strength, knocking the Green Lantern out and causing the bubble to dissipate. Everyone save for Hawkgirl began free falling. Thinking fast, Hawkgirl dove for GL, scooping him up. She tried to get to Kari, but someone beat her to the punch. Down on the ground, a figure in a ragged, brown cloak held out his arms, allowing her to fall into his arms.

"Kari?" the figure questioned.

Still a bit shaken by her fall, she didn't recognize the voice at first. However, once she saw the face under the cloak, she broke out into a grin.

"J'honn!" she cheered, throwing her arms around his neck. "I found you!"

"It is good to see you alright." J'honn told her, smiling down at her.

While the two got reunited, Draaga fell through three different awnings, cushioning his fall to the point that he could land safely, taking off down an alley. J'honn saw him, momentarily surprised.

"That was Draaga." he noted. "What is he-?"

"Long story for another time." Hawkgirl answered, landing with a still reeling GL in her arms. "Right now, we need to get to Superman."

...

"People want fights." Mongol said to a restrained Superman. "That's what I give them."

"What you're giving them is a substitute for what they really need." Superman retorted. "Food, medicine, and housing. What kind of ruler neglects his people so harshly?"

Mongol slapped him.

"No one talks to me that way, Kryptonian." He snarled.

Superman just smirked.

"Maybe somebody should." he replied. "Maybe then it would be your name the people are chanting out there instead of mine."

Mongol's scowled at that.

"Y'know, Draaga once said the same thing." he recalled. "He thought that since he had the love of the masses, he could make some changes around here. Luckily for him, I was able to make him see reason."

"What do you mean?" Superman questioned.

"It'll be easier to show you." Mongol answered, nodding towards his advisor.

The advisor looked down at a tablet in his hands, hitting a button and activating a holo-screen behind Mongol. An image of what looked like a large laser cannon shimmered into view.

"Its power can decimate a planet." Mongol promised. "And that's exactly what I would have done to Draaga's planet had he not fallen back in line. I can do the same to yours as well."

"You're too late on that." Superman told him. "Krypton was destroyed years ago. There's nothing left but dust."

"No matter." Mongol dismissed. "Any planet will do. Even Draaga's."

"You can't!" Superman let out.

"I can, and I will." Mongol threatened. "I was planning on simply making you watch as I snapped your crippled friend's neck, but since she's disappeared, I've been forced to change my plans."

Mongol then walked up to Superman and grabbed his face.

"Listen, and listen well, 'Superman'." Mongol told him. "If you want that planet spared, you're going to have one last fight. Against me. And you're going to lose, badly. Understand?"

Superman pulled his face free of Mongol's grip, his gaze locked on the holographic image of the laser cannon. With a resigned sigh, he lowered his head in defeat.

"That's what I thought." Mongol replied, walking away.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, J'honn had phased into the building, listening to everything that had been said. He quickly phased out and met up with Kari, whom he'd left hidden in a corner. He picked her up, his face betraying his fear.

"How bad?" Kari asked.

"Mongol has a weapon capable of destroying worlds." J'honn reported. "He intends to use on Draaga's if Superman doesn't lose to him."

"Then we gotta destroy that weapon." GL decided.

"Where is it?" Hawkgirl questioned.

"Follow me." J'honn insisted.

He walked off, the two heroes flying behind them.

...

At the arena, the crowds arrived in droves for what promised to be the fight of the century.

"Superman vs the great Mongol!" the announcer promised.

Among the spectators entering the arena, was a cloaked Draaga, hoping for the chance to reclaim his lost honor. He blended in with the wild crowds, each of them cheering loudly as he took his seat.

...

On the planets moon, Superman and Mongol were transported into the dismal arena. Both combatants were armed with a plasma axe, which Superman activated just before Mongol came up and tried to bring his down on him. Superman quickly blocked the attack as Mongol continued his assault. Superman then knocked Mongol's axe out of his hands, causing Mongol to grab Superman by the arms.

"Remember, a planet's life depends on you." Mongol reminded.

"I remember." Superman replied.

Mongol then got Superman's axe out of his hands and threw it against a wall, almost hitting a camera orb. Mongol tried punching Superman, but he easily blocked the blows. Superman then punched Mongol so hard he flew right into a wall, causing it to crumble as he fell to the ground. Before he did though, Superman flew up and grabbed him before slamming him into the ground. Mongol then grabbed Superman and slammed him into the ground in response.

"What are you doing?!" Mongol demanded, putting Superman into a headlock.

"Making it convincing." Superman answered, freeing himself from Mongol's grip and backhanding him, causing him to stumble a bit before falling to the ground.

As Mongol picked himself up, he looked towards Superman, who was motioning him to come at him. Mongol obliged and charged at Superman grabbing him and slamming him into a nearby wall.

Back at the arena, the crowds were cheering loudly, both for Superman and for Mongol. Draaga watched the fight for a moment, then turned his eyes towards the transporter gun. He quickly grabbed the guard standing watch over it and pulled him aside, knocking him out.

...

At the site of the planet destroyer cannon, the four heroes peered inside, seeing several soldiers scurrying about and performing their designated duties.

"There's too many of them." Kari deduced. "We need a plan."

"J'honn, you think you're strong enough to hold a transformation?" GL questioned.

"I will try." J'honn answered.

J'honn then began morphing himself into Mongol. He had a bit of difficulty due to the planet's atmosphere, but he managed to pull it off. Straightening up, he walked into the building, doing his best to imitate Mongol's mannerisms.

"Be careful J'honn." Kari told him.

He nodded once, then walked inside.

"Hurry up!" one of the soldiers called out. "His royal pain could send the order at any minute."

"What was that?" 'Mongol' snapped.

The soldier turned around to see 'Mongol' standing before him, and quickly panicked.

"My lord!" He let out. "I thought that you were-"

"My plans have changed." 'Mongol' cut off. "Decommission this weapon, immediately."

"D-Decommission it?" The soldier questioned. "But-"

"Or do you think I'm being a 'royal pain'?" 'Mongol' interrupted, glaring at the soldier.

"N-no sire." the soldier reassured. "Of course not."

"Good." 'Mongol' replied. "Then do it, before I-"

'Mongol' then suddenly convulsed, clutching his head in pain. He stumbled back as the soldier approached cautiously.

"My Lord?" he questioned.

That's when the last of J'honn's strength left him, forcing him to revert to his normal form.

"What?!" the soldier cried out. "Get him!"

The soldiers all charged at J'honn, but the Martian was far from down. Even without his powers to rely on, he was still a member of the Justice League, a fact that shown as he backhanded a soldier away from himself and into two others. He then punched another oncoming soldier away as another soldier jumped on top of him. He then picked that soldier up and threw him aside. More soldiers came running in and began shooting at him.

From outside, the sound of gunfire quickly reached the ears of the remaining Leaguers.

"So much for plan A." GL lamented.

"Time for plan B!" Hawkgirl declared, flying in.

GL grabbed Kari, flying after Hawkgirl.

...

The fight between Mongol and Superman was still going on, with Mongol taking the lead. He grabbed a nearby piece of debris and used it to push Superman off a cliff. The debris fell on top of him, crushing him. Superman managed to push it off, but Mongol just grabbed him by the shirt and began wailing on him. He then punched Superman so hard, he went flying into the remains of a building, dropping to the ground upon impact. Mongol then grabbed a nearby wheel and lifted it over his head before walking over to Superman.

The crowds were all gasping in fear and horror, realizing what was about to happen. However, that's when a new cheer began to ring out. The crowds were not calling for Superman, nor for Mongol. Instead, it was for the sudden arrival of a third fighter.

"Draaga!" the crowd chanted. "Draaga!"

Mongol turned in surprise, getting a pipe to the face. He crumbled to the ground, the tire falling on top of him as Draaga approached Superman. The Kryptonian regained his senses, looking up to see Draaga toss the pipe aside.

"Time to settle our score." He declared, shedding his cloak.

"Wait!" Superman insisted.

Draaga did no such thing, grabbing Superman by the throat and hoisting him into the air.

"If I let Mongol kill you, then I'll never reclaim my honor." Draaga told him.

"Listen to me!" Superman let out.

He then brought his fists down on Draaga's arms, causing Draaga to let go before Superman punched him in the face, knocking him back.

"You have to stay out of this." Superman told him.

"I can't do that!" Draaga snapped, getting up and lunged at him.

Superman lifted him overhead and tossed him aside, causing him to fall to the ground once more.

"You have to!" Superman insisted. "Or he'll destroy your planet!"

"What?!" Draaga let out.

"I promised I'd lose to Mongol so your world will be spared." Superman explained.

"You- You would do that?" Draaga questioned, honestly stunned by this revelation. "Even after all I've done to you?"

"I've come to value all lives, including those from worlds not my own." Superman told him.

As Draaga tried to process this sudden shift, the wall beside them began to crumble. It then broke apart, a heavy piece striking Draaga on the head as Mongol burst forward.

"Now Kryptonian, it's just you and me." Mongol declared.

He then charged forward and began beating on Superman, never showing the man of steel any leeway as he delivered one punch to the face after another. The crowd booed and jeered, seeing the fight for what it was and hating how it was going

…

Back at the cannon, J'honn was pinned behind a pillar as soldiers fired down at him from above. Another door opened up, revealing more soldiers entering the room and opening fire on J'honn. Thankfully, GL produced an energy bubble that shielded him from the blasts. Kari then dropped into his waiting arms as GL focused on the soldiers.

"GL, think you could score me one of those?" she questioned as J'honn adjusted his grip on her.

GL used his ring to pull one of the blasters out of the hands of one of the soldiers and dropped it into Kari's hands. She then took aim and fired, J'honn running from cover to cover as she did.

The guards lucky enough to avoid Kari's attacks soon fell victim to Hawkgirl's mace, the Thanagarian unleashing several days' worth of frustration on them. While the fight was progressing, one of the soldiers managed to activate the cannon. Kari heard the beeps, looking up.

"The cannon!" she shrieked.

The heroes all turned to see the cannon beginning to power up, battery nodes glowing an angry red and growing ever brighter. Thinking fast, Hawkgirl zipped up to the barrel of the cannon, powering on her mace.

"What is she doing?!" GL let out.

The cannon fired, and Hawkgirl swung her mace, sending the energy right back down the barrel. Realizing what she had just done, everyone began panicking.

"Evacuate!" the soldiers screamed.

Everyone began running, forgetting about the heroes in their haste to get away. GL immediately dropped the shield around the group, aiming his ring at the cannon to surround it. J'honn pulling Kari close, turning away from the cannon as they both closed their eyes.

The cannon went up in a fiery blaze, the explosion testing the limits of GL's will. Sweat poured down his brow as he tried to hold back the massive explosion, the force still managing to shake the building. Rubble rained down as Kari cried out in fear, J'honn still holding her tightly. By the time the explosion was over, the building was little more than a pile of rubble. GL's shield lowered as he fell to his knees, more than a little out of breath. Hawkgirl landed next to him, placing a hand on his back.

"Easy there." she told him.

J'honn and Kari straightened up, the former brushing debris off the both of them.

"Is everyone alright?" Kari questioned.

"For now." J'honn answered.

"Just one last job to do." Hawkgirl announced.

...

Back with Mongol and Superman, Mongol sent Superman flying through a building, causing him to stumble back before Mongol came up and punched him in the face over and over again. One final punch sent Superman flying to the ground, groaning in defeat. One of the camera orbs focused on his face, the unhappy jeers of the crowd pouring from the speakers.

"Hear what they think of their new hero now?" Mongol remarked.

Mongol then picked up a fallen plasma axe and activated it before raising it overhead.

"Game over." He declared.

As he brought it down though, a wall of green energy appeared and blocked the blow, shattering the axe in the process. Mongol looked down at his shattered weapon, then up at the source: the rest of the League.

"Not yet!" GL shouted. "We're going into overtime!"

With War World's toxic atmosphere no longer weakening him, J'honn's strength was back in full force as he, GL, and Hawkgirl flew down and landed beside Superman. Kari poked her head out from J'honn's back, aiming her stolen gun right at the tyrant's heart.

"We destroyed his cannon." J'honn reported. "Draaga's world is safe."

"You've lost, Mongol." Kari informed him. "Because now, Superman doesn't have to hold back."

Mongol gulped in fear as Superman got to his feet, cracking his knuckles.

"Then all bets are off." Superman told him. "You're mine."

"No!" Draaga declared, running towards them. "He's mine!"

Draaga then socked Mongol in the face, sending him flying through a wall, crumbling it to pieces. Everyone blinked in surprise, Kari lowering her gun.

"I forgot he was here." she muttered.

Draaga ran towards Mongol, shoving rubble aside to try and find him. Mongol then sprung up out of the rubble, scowling at Draaga.

"You'll regret that, Draaga!" Mongol swore.

Mongol then tackled Draaga, wrestling with him as the League moved in to help. Their aid was soon proven unnecessary as Draaga and Mongol traded blows with one another, the former quickly taking the lead. The crowd began to cheer wildly, chanting Draaga's name louder and louder. The fight continued as Mongol knocked Draaga back, only for GL to catch him.

"Keep your guard up on the left." GL advised.

Draaga nodded before charging back in. he blocked one of Mongol's strikes, but Mongol was quick to get the upper hand, knocking Draaga back to the ground. The camera orb flew towards the downed warrior, the cheers of the crowd roaring from the speakers.

"Draaga!" they shouted. "Draaga! Draaga!"

"Don't let them down, Draaga!" Kari cheered. "You can beat this guy!"

Draaga steeled himself before getting back to his feet.

"This is for my people!" Draaga declared before punching Mongol. "This is for my humiliation!"

He punched the tyrant again, causing him to fall to his knees.

"And this is for justice!"

With one final punch, Draaga knocked Mongol's crown off his head before he fell over in defeat. The crowds were beyond enthralled, rising to their feet and screaming in elation. Even Mongol's advisor was ecstatic, dropping his pad and throwing his fists in the air.

"Go Draaga!" he shouted. "Finish him!"

Draaga looked over his fallen opponent, contemplating whether or not to follow through with the crowd's demands for Mongol's death. The league tensed, wondering if he would do it, and preparing to interfere if he did. Luckily, Draaga merely turned away from the downed tyrant, shaking his head.

"No." he declared. "He doesn't deserve the honor."

"Then it's over." Superman spoke.

"Not yet." Draaga replied.

Draaga looked down at Mongol's fallen crown before picking it up and handing it to Superman.

"Here." He offered. "You should wear it."

"Keep it." Superman insisted. "I'm no king, and I've got people waiting for me back home."

"Besides, I think you've earned that crown just as much as Superman has." Kari spoke up.

"I… I don't think I'm worthy of it." Draaga responded. "What kind of ruler is one without honor?"

"Draaga, the true test of honor isn't how you die." Superman told him. "It's how you live."

With that, Superman walked over to the others as GL encompassed them in an energy bubble before flying off, leaving War World behind in the hands of a new champion, and a new future.


	8. Victims

**Note from the Author of the Insane: Guess what guys? It's time for an original chapter! It may be a bit shorter than the other chapters due to it not being based off a two-part episode, but something tells me you guys will enjoy it anyway. Leave a review and let me know what you think.**

...

Kari rolled into her house, several bags of groceries on her lap. Backing into the door to close it, she turned herself towards her kitchen to begin unloading the bags. Inside were several party decorations for a birthday party, as well as a plethora of snacks and party foods.

"Never thought I'd be happy setting up for my own birthday party." she remarked as she looked over her list. "Streamers, balloons, table cloth, paper plates, extra napkins… I think Flash said he'd pick up the cake… Superman promised to bring enough pizza for all of us..."

Setting her list aside, she began her preparations for the party. As she began her work, she turned on her voicemail, letting it play in the background.

" _You have 5 unheard messages._ " the machine announced. " _First unheard message._ "

The machine then began blaring with the sounds of a fight going on, occasionally punctuated by a grunt of pain or a yelp of surprise.

" _Yo Kari,"_ Flash's voice greeted. _"Just calling to say I got the cake, but I ran into-"_

There was another sound of a blast, followed closely by a shout from the speedster.

" _Hey Snart, you mind?!"_ Flash called out.

Snart's voice was too distant to make out exactly what he said, but it was clear it wasn't exactly the nicest.

" _Well some of us have better things to do on Saturdays then stealing priceless diamonds from museums!"_ " Flash retorted before the sound of a punch filled the speakers. " _As I was saying, got the cake but ran into Captain Cold. May be a bit late, but I'll be there._ "

There was another blast and the message cut off, eliciting a smirk from Kari.

"Guess he'll be needing a new phone." she guessed as the next message played.

The speakers were filled with the sounds of loud voices in a plethora of languages.

" _Hey Kari._ " GL's voice shouted over the background noise. " _The riot on Murgador is still ongoing, and so far our efforts to quell it have proven-_ "

He cut off as Hawkgirl let out a war cry, the crackle of her mace cutting through the noise. Someone let out a shout of fear, then GL spoke again.

" _Dammit Hawkgirl, I brought you here to help me stop the riot, not make it worse!_ " he snapped.

" _They started it._ " Hawkgirl insisted.

GL let out a groan.

" _Long story short, we'll be late, but we'll do our best to- Hawkgirl, enough!_ "

The call then cut off as Kari chuckled.

"Those two..." she whispered.

The next message began, this one thankfully not filled with violent noises.

" _Kari, it's Diana._ " Wonder Woman greeted. " _The Charity Gala Superman and I are attending is running longer than expected. The crowd is barely giving him a moment's respite, and I had to sneak into the bathroom just to make this call. But don't worry, neither of us will miss your party._ "

The message ended, the next one clicking over.

" _Kari, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl have yet to return from their mission on Murgador."_ J'honn's voice began almost immediately. " _Until they do, I am without transport from the Watchtower. Once they do return, we will make our way to you immediately._ "

"And this is why I told Bats we need a fleet of Javelins, not just one and his bat-wing." Kari remarked.

As if on cue, the final message began, Batman's voice ringing out.

" _I'm going to be late._ " he explained simply.

With that, the messages ended and the voicemail shut off. Kari let out a long sigh, going back to her decorating.

"I guess that's the downside of being friends with superheroes and not being one yourself." she muttered to herself. "They're always busy or running late, and you're left to decorate for your own birthday party."

As she went about setting up the decorations as best she could, she heard a knock on the door. She looked at the door, smiling slightly.

"Five dollars says that's Flash." she guessed, turning towards the door. "Guess he finished up with Snart real quick."

She wheeled over to the door and opened it up, giving a smile.

"Guess you finished putting Captain Cold on ice, huh Fla-"

She cut off when she realized the one at the door was most definitely NOT Flash. Instead, it was a man dressed in black tactical gear. His left arm was uncovered, revealing that it was mechanical in nature. He lifted his arm, the hand shifting into a large laser gun that he aimed right at her.

...

A couple hours later, Flash sped up to Kari's house, skidding to a stop right in front of the door. He had a pristine Oreo cake in one hand as he used the other to brush chunks of ice off his uniform.

"Man, Snart really has the worst timing." he grumbled. "Unveiling a new cold gun, just as I'm running late. Thanks a lot."

He gave the door a knock, his heart plummeting when it slowly creaked open on its own. He pushed the door open and peered inside, seeing what looked like a war zone. Chairs were toppled over, the table had been flipped, laser burns decorated the wall, and almost every light bulb had been smashed. He dropped the cake in shock as his eyes rested on an overturned wheelchair, the wheels bent out of shape and the seat vacant.

"No..." he let out before putting two fingers to his comm. "Flash to Watchtower. J'honn, I really need an answer, buddy."

" _Flash."_ J'honn responded. _"What is it?"_

"Get the others and have them meet me at Kari's house." Flash insisted. "Somebody attacked her."

…

The man with the mechanical arm carried an unconscious Kari into an old military warehouse. There, he met up with several others dressed in clothing similar to his own. Many had mechanical augmentations decorating their bodies, while others just appeared to be scarred in some way. The group parted ranks, allowing the man to approach an older gentleman with a mechanical right eye. The mechanical eyed man turned, seeing Kari in the soldier's grip.

"Did she fight?" he asked.

"Yes, Oculus sir." The soldier answered. "Quite valiantly if I do say so myself."

"As to be expected." Oculus responded. "You know what to do."

"Yes sir!" the soldier complied, carrying Kari away.

Once the soldier was gone, Oculus turned towards a TV array that had been set up along the wall. He hit a few buttons and the screen came to life. A vague silhouette of a man appeared on the screen, his features indistinguishable.

"Imperius, sir," Oculus spoke up. "Phase one has been completed."

" _Excellent."_ Imperius replied, his voice digitally distorted. _"Proceed with Phase two."_

...

Not long after Flash put out the call, the other League members arrived. Batman got their first, the Batmobile screeching down the street. He barely took the time to put it in park before jumping out.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Not sure." Flash admitted. "When I got here, the place was a mess, and Kari was gone. Her chair is still here though."

About that time, Diana and Superman landed by the door.

"Any idea who could have done this?" Diana wondered.

"We've all got a laundry list of enemies that are capable of doing something like this." Superman told her. "Narrowing it down will be difficult."

GL, J'honn, and Hawkgirl arrived after that, the Martian looking a bit pale with worry, his usually stoic face betraying how scared he was.

"I knew that we should have increased security here." GL remarked. "Kari's not like us. She can't defend herself like we can, and her identity is public, painting one hell of a target on her back."

"Kari's tough." Batman replied. "She can handle herself."

"I'd say the state of her home begs to differ." Hawkgirl countered.

"We can argue about this later." Superman interjected. "For now, let's just focus on finding out who did this."

The group shared a nod, then made their way inside. Batman looked around the living room for any clues, catching a glimpse of a discarded blaster under the remnants of the coffee table. He picked it up, looking it over.

"What's this?" he questioned.

GL glanced over.

"That's a blaster from War World." He explained. "Kari brought it back with her when we returned."

"Guess she didn't go down without a fight." Flash remarked.

"You sound surprised." Wonder Woman replied.

"Nope, like Bats said, she's tough." Flash told her. "Just glad she gave her kidnappers a hard time."

As everyone continued their search, J'honn took notice of a disk on the table in the living room. He walked over to it and saw it said "play me" on it.

"I found something." he announced.

Everyone gathered around, looking at the disk.

"Guess our kidnappers left us a ransom note." Superman guessed.

Flash took the disk, zipping over to the TV. Thankfully, it was undamaged and the DVD player was still functional. After setting up the disk and turning on the TV, the League watched as an image of Imperius' silhouette appeared on the screen.

" _Greetings, Justice League."_ He addressed. _"I am called Imperius."_

"Who?" Flash questioned.

"A new player." Batman deduced.

" _If you are worried about Ms. Miller, don't be._ " Imperius reassured. _"I have no intention of harming her. I have simply rescued her from the monsters that have reduced her to this state."_

Batman's fists clenched, Flash scowled, and Superman visibly winced.

" _You claim to be this world's heroes, but I see you for what you truly are."_ Imperius went on. " _You are a plague on society. You claim you wish to save us, but you are destroying us. You leave nothing but death and destruction in your wake, and get away with it because you're 'special'. How many nights have we lived in fear that one day, you will turn those great powers against us, and wipe us out? Why, the great Superman nearly succeeded in destroying us twice!_ "

Diana glanced over at Superman, seeing the Man of Steel in visible discomfort. Guilt and shame wracked his massive frame as Imperius went on.

" _In time, you will all face judgement for your crimes._ " Imperius promised. " _For now, we will settle for Superman. If he comes to the abandoned warehouse in the Metropolis shipping yard and surrenders himself, then Kari Miller will be returned post haste. Fail to meet my terms, and the entire world will learn the true nature of the Man of Steel. You have 24 hours to consider my terms. Tick tock._ "

Hawkgirl's mace suddenly smashed through the television console, destroying the TV and cutting off the threat. There was a stunned moment of silence, then Batman turned towards Superman.

"Superman, if you're thinking of doing what I think you're gonna do, don't do it." He told him.

"What choice do I have?" Superman replied, an expression of remorse plastered on his face.

"You're not going to give in to this terrorist's threats, are you?" GL questioned.

"Who knows what will happen if I don't." Superman responded.

"That's the point." Flash added, speeding in front of him. "For all we know, he could be bluffing about the whole thing. This screams setup."

"I say we hunt down this 'Imperius' and teach him a thing or two." Hawkgirl snarled.

"That maybe the point." Batman proposed.

This caught everyone off guard, each of them turning to the Dark Knight.

"He claims that we're monsters that need to face judgement." Batman explained. "If we attack him, we'd only be proving him right."

"So what do we do?" J'honn asked. "He still has Kari, and even if he promises not to harm her, I am hesitant to believe him."

The entire team was torn, completely and utterly torn on what to do.

...

Kari's eyes flew open as she sat up, looking around in a panic. The last thing she remembered was being blown out of her chair by a man with the mechanical hand. She patted herself down, checking for any wounds. The few cuts and burns she did have had been expertly tended to, which worried her somewhat. If someone had taken the time to see to her wounds, they clearly wanted her alive.

She looked around, finding herself in what appeared to be a military barracks. She had been laid out on a bottom bunk in the corner, a blanket draped over her. There was a wheelchair arranged next to the bed. It wasn't anything special, but it was a chance at mobility. With a few well practiced motions, she got herself into the chair and began wheeling towards the door. She tried the knob, and was only mildly surprised to find the door locked.

"Typical." he cursed, rolling her chair back to try and ram it.

Just as she was about to begin her forward momentum, the door opened for her. The man with the mechanical arm greeted her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Hello Ms. Miller." He greeted. "Glad to see you're awake."

His voice broke the paralysis over Kari and she shot forward, ramming hard into the man. He doubled over as she grabbed him by the hair, slamming his head into the armrest of the chair. He barely had time to recover before she slammed his head into the frame of the door. He sagged to the ground, groaning in pain.

As she came out, there was a strange applauding echoing through the air. Kari turned to see Oculus clapping as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Very impressive." He complimented. "Imperius said you were good, and you definitely live up to the hype."

Kari looked back at the man, then down at the down soldier. She could see a pistol sticking out of a holster on his hip and immediately grabbed it, aiming it right at Oculus.

"Stay back." she warned. "I know how to use this and I will not hesitate."

"I have no doubt, but there's no need." Oculus insisted, holding his hands up. "No one wants to harm you."

"This guy kidnapped me from my own home, destroyed my wheelchair, and bashed me on the head with a snow globe." she argued, gesturing to the down soldier with her head.

"Nicholson was just sent to collect you." Oculus defended. "I admit his methods were extreme, and I apologize for your snow globe."

Kari's eyes narrowed she stared at Oculus. She kept the gun aimed at him, but lowered her arm slightly.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am called Oculus, Major General of the army of the broken." he explained. "And another victim like yourself."

"Army of the broken?" she repeated. "Victim?"

"All will be explained in due time." Oculus promised. "For now, why don't we retire to the dining hall?"

Kari remained silent, but gave a small nod. Oculus approached her, taking the handles of her wheelchair and leading her off. Still, she kept the gun armed and ready, unwilling to let her guard down

...

Superman flew down towards the abandoned shipping yard, landing in front of the only warehouse not chained shut. He forced the doors open and entered the dimly lit room. All of a sudden, the lights sprang open and a large array of TV screens turned on, showing Imperius ever ominous form.

" _Welcome Superman."_ Imperius greeted. _"Or should I say…"_

Just then four men came out from behind piles of boxes armed with flamethrowers, and opened fire on Superman, causing him to drop to the ground in pain and for his form to revert to that of J'honn.

" _The Martian Manhunter._ " he concluded. " _Didn't you pull this trick on Luthor once upon a time?_ "

J'honn couldn't respond, still feeling the pain of the fire around him.

" _You really should have stayed away, Martian._ " Imperius insisted. " _You're not my target yet. Now, where is Superman?_ "

"You think… I will tell you?" J'honn let out, breathing heavily.

" _No… I suppose not."_ Imperius conceded. _"Though perhaps he will hear your screams."_

The flamethrowers clicked on again as J'honn began screaming once more.

...

The rest of the heroes were scattered about Metropolis, trying to find any sign of their missing companion. All those capable of flight were criss crossing across the sky while Flash and Batman remained on the ground. So far, all of them had come up empty in their search.

"I know we don't have much choice, but this search is getting us nowhere." Flash pointed out. "We have no idea who this Imperius is, how he works, or even where to start looking."

"We can't give up." Superman insisted. "We'll turn this entire city upside down if we-"

Just then, Batman and Flash took note that the TV's lining the window shops breaking down into snow. Both of them stopped dead, the former exiting his car as the two approached the windows.

"Get down here." Batman insisted. "I believe our terrorist is about to speak."

The four flyers landed next to Batman and Flash as Imperius' silhouette appeared on the screen.

" _People of Metropolis."_ He began. " _It is time you saw your heroes for who and what they truly are. I offered Superman a chance to surrender himself to save a life, and what does he do?_ "

The screen then switched to a live feed of J'honn being tortured by the four men with flamethrowers. His screams echoed through every TV, civilians and heroes alike gasping in horror.

"J'honn!" Superman cried out.

" _Send a fake in his place."_ Imperius continued. _"Now what kind of hero sends someone he calls friend to suffer such a fate?"_

Without saying a word, Superman just took off towards the shipping yard in hopes that he could still save his friend.

...

Within seconds, Superman reached the shipping yard, and sped into the warehouse, knocking all four of J'honn's attackers back. They fell hard as he made his way over to J'honn, the Martian little more than a moaning mass on the ground. He was in such pain that he had reverted to his natural Martian form.

"Stop this, Imperius!" Superman demanded. "You wanted me, and here I am."

" _I was wondering when you would own up to the carnage you've wrought."_ Imperius mused. " _It's good you got here when you did. I don't think the Martian would have lasted much longer._ "

"Why are you doing this?" Superman demanded.

" _You and your allies have destroyed countless lives under the charade of saving them."_ Imperius explained. " _You try to play the hero by taking one of your victims under your wing, but did it ever occur to you that you are nothing more than a stark reminder of all she has lost?_ "

"She forgave me for that." Superman insisted. "And she joined us of her own accord. No one forced her to do anything!"

" _Forgiving and forgetting are two different things, Superman._ " Imperius countered. " _And you say she joined of her own accord? Why? What purpose does she serve? Your legal liaison? It would have been more appropriate to call her your publicity stunt._ "

...

The rest of the League was watching the events unfold on the TV. All of them were stunned at Imperius' accusations, even more so by the fact that none of them could come up with an argument to refute his claim. Even Batman was left speechless.

" _For too long, the victims of the Justice League have allowed ourselves to be brushed under the rug._ " Imperius declared. " _We became nameless faces in a crowd, a list of people in a newspaper column, or the mask of the true villains of this world. Well no more._ "

That's when the warehouse was suddenly lit up with a series of bright, red lights. Superman grunted slightly, realizing what was going on.

"Red solar energy." he rationalized.

" _Luminous nearly did you in when he filtered out yellow sun rays._ " Imperius recalled. _"Without them, you're are no Superman. Merely, a man."_

Before Superman could make a move, one of Imperius' men shot some kind of electricity weapon at him. The blast caused Superman to cry out in pain before dropping to the ground.

" _The Kryptonian will be the first to face the consequences of his crimes._ " Imperius declared. " _For every life lost, every life destroyed, and every broken body he's left in his wake._ "

The screen then cut off, showing a logo that showed a fractured picture of the earth being held together by two hands. The second the broadcast cut, Batman turned to Flash.

"Get to the warehouse now!" he shouted.

Flash didn't waste a second running off towards the warehouse. It took him only seconds to arrive there, only to find that they had cleared out before he got there, leaving only a still healing J'honn in their wake.

"J'honn!" Flash let out, running over to him.

J'honn let out a groan, his eyes fluttering open.

"They… they took him." he whimpered, flinching with every move. "I couldn't… the fire..."

"It's alright, J'honn." Flash told him, helping him up. "We're gonna get him back."

He then put his fingers to his ears, activating the comms.

"J'honn's hurt real bad." he explained. "And Supes is gone."

" _Get J'honn out of there."_ Batman told him. _"We'll find Superman once we've gotten him medical attention._

"I'm on it." Flash replied, running J'honn out of there."

...

Oculus rolled Kari into a small, private dining area, one no doubt reserved for the higher ranking officers. The room was unoccupied at the moment, and Oculus deposited her at one end of a table. It was covered in a white table cloth, and was set for two.

"The General will be with you shortly." he informed her, as if she was waiting for a doctor's appointment.

"The General?" she questioned.

"Imperius." Oculus told her. "The founder and leader of our cause."

Kari's eyes narrowed as she gently rested her hand over the pistol still in her lap. Oculus seemed to chuckle a bit as he walked out of the room. She did not have long to wait before the door opened again. This time, a man in a wheelchair of his own came rolling up to the table. Unlike Kari, his seemed to be equipped with better support, as well as a joystick to allow movement. One look at the man occupying the chair made is clear why.

He was Quadriplegic, with his armed seemingly locked in a crooked position. He seemed to be leaning to one side, where the joystick had been set up. Still, he appeared well dressed and well kept, wearing what looked like an old military uniform complete with various medals, including a Purple Heart. When he looked up at her, there was a gleam of intelligence in his eyes.

"Hello Ms. Miller." He greeted. "I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"Imperius, I take it." she spoke up. "You're not what I was expecting."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He replied.

"Why am I here?" Kari questioned, getting straight to the point. "Why have your men kidnap me from my home, only to suddenly start treating me like I'm the Queen of Sheba?"

"I never meant ill intent for you." Imperius reassured. "My orders were to bring you here, nothing more. I just wanted to meet you."

"Meet me?" she repeated. "Why me?"

"Because we are very much alike you and I." He told her. "We've both suffered at the hands of the so-called 'heroes' of this world. In fact, the very incident that robbed you of everything reduced me to what you see before you."

His right hand spasmed slightly, as if he was trying to gesture to himself. Kari looked at him, curiosity gnawing at her.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Superman happened." He answered. "After his little escapade through Metropolis, the army was called in to try and contain him, as well as evacuate civilians. I was in the middle of a search and rescue down in the subway tunnels. That's when he came crashing through the ground, causing a massive cave-in for the next six blocks."

His hands clenched slightly, as if trying to clench into fists.

"My entire platoon, and over three dozen civilians were buried under rubble." He muttered. "Only a handful of us escaped with our lives."

"I'm sorry." Kari apologized.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Imperius assured her. "Superman was the culprit. Everything that happened, all the damage done, that's all on his head."

He let out a snort.

"To say nothing of the other victims each member of his supposed team of heroes has racked up over the years."

"What are you talking about?" Kari questioned.

"You think you're the only one that the so called 'Justice League' has hurt?" Imperius questioned. "There are dozens, no, hundreds of us. They have lost their homes, their families, their livelihoods, even their own bodies to the actions of these 'heroes'. They do whatever they want and care nothing for the pain they inflict."

"That- That's not true." Kari insisted. "We're not like that. The League is not like that."

Imperius just laughed at that, something that irked Kari to no end. She slammed her hands on the table, glaring at him.

"What's so funny?" she growled.

"You honestly count yourself among them?" He asked.

"Yes!" She replied.

"You would have lived a happy life, walking around with your parents and not a care in the world, if Superman didn't take everything from you." Oculus challenged. "You have more cause to hate them than most."

Kari shook her head.

"What happened that day… it wasn't his fault." she insisted. "Scarecrow, he-"

"Scarecrow, yes." Imperius interjected. "The supposed 'true villain' of that incident. Tell me, what created Scarecrow?"

Kari snorted.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked. "That guy was a nutcase from birth. I've seen his medical records. He's got a history of obsession over fears and phobias, violent tendencies, and an all-around desire to make people scream."

"Yes, but up until The Batman showed up, he never killed a person." Oculus argued. "One could even say that The Batman created the villain."

"This argument again?" Kari let out. "Janet Van Dorn tried to argue the same thing a few years back. Batman may have lended to their particular fashion choice, but he would have snapped eventually."

"And what about Lex Luthor?" He added. "A respectable businessman, the son of Metropolis. Until a certain alien crashed into the city."

With that, Kari's argument faltered. Imperius smirked at that, continuing on.

"The heroes may claim to do good, but all they really do is destroy lives." He insisted.

Kari looked down, her eyes drifting along her atrophied legs. She ran her hand along her thigh, letting out a reluctant sigh.

"Everyone makes mistakes." she tried to argue.

"But their mistakes do not usually have such a high death toll." He remarked.

Kari sighed, meeting Imperius' eyes once more.

"Even so, what would you have done?" she questioned.

"I want justice." Imperius explained. "I want them to face the consequences of what they've done. I want them to face trial, and not be let off with a mere slap on the wrist."

The door to the dining room opened, allowing Oculus to enter once more.

"Imperius sir." He greeted, saluting. "The extraction team's just returned. Our new guest is in custody."

"Excellent." Imperius replied before turning to Kari. "Care to join us, Miss Miller?"

Imperius then turned his wheelchair, following Oculus out of the room. Kari quickly followed after, a sense of dread filling her.

...

The trio left the dining hall, making their way outside. Kari took the opportunity to look around, realizing that she was in the middle of the abandoned army base out in the Rockies, the very army base the Imperium had used to hold her and J'honn back during the invasion.

"Yet another victim of the heroes." Imperius spoke up, surprising Kari. "This base was so utterly decimated by Superman and Batman during their battle with the Imperium that the army was forced to abandon it. Thankfully, the Army of the Broken found it and gave it new purpose."

"Good for you." Kari let out, entering the airfield.

As they got in, four men were offloading a fair-sized solar dome that was radiating red light. Inside, forced onto his knees and bound in heavy metal restraints, was Superman. He was beginning to come to, and when he laid eyes on Kari, any weariness he had left his body. He pulled himself to his feet and tried to free himself from his restraints, only to find his strength diminished enough that he couldn't even make them budge.

"Kari!" He cried out, his voice muffled somewhat by the dome.

"Superman!" Kari shouted, immediately grabbing her hidden pistol and aiming it at Imperius.

Suddenly every gun in the room was aimed right at her. Still, she made no move to lower hers, glaring right at Imperius.

"Let. Him. Go." she snarled.

He chuckled a bit, turning his chair towards her.

"Doesn't even flinch." He mused. "Still as impressive as ever. Stand down, men."

The men all exchanged looks, wondering if Imperius was insane. When they didn't follow his command, he let out a small cough.

"I said stand down." he told them, a hard edge to his voice.

The men all lowered their guns, Kari glancing around at them all before returning her focus to Imperius.

"I said let him go." she insisted, cocking back the hammer. "Now."

"If you're worried about us hurting him, don't." Imperius reassured. "He will be given a fair trial, as all criminals deserve."

Kari's eyes narrowed.

"A trial." she repeated.

"I told you before, I want them to face justice for their crimes." Imperius informed her. "That includes a fair trial."

"No offense, but something tells me that this trail won't exactly be fair." She snorted.

"That is why you are here." Imperius informed her. "You're a lawyer, and thus, you will defend Superman."

Kari lowered her gun slightly, glancing over at Superman. The Man of Steel had ceased his struggling, clearly more concerned for Kari's well-being at the moment. They locked eyes for a minute, then Kari put the gun back on her lap.

"Alright." she relented. "I'll defend Superman."

Imperius smiled, then turned to Oculus.

"Have Superman transported to the holding area for now." he ordered. "The trial will be tomorrow afternoon."

Oculus saluted again, then directed the men to roll Superman's dome away. Kari and Superman continued to stare at each other the entire time before he disappeared from view, leaving her to wonder if she'd made the right choice.

 _Tbc..._


End file.
